Akame ga Kill!: My Promise
by Sanc2ary
Summary: Attending Mine's funeral with the last of his comrades, Tatsumi reflects deeply on a truly special evening he and Mine had spent together. Mired in hopelessness and guilt, Tatsumi must somehow find the strength to pick up the pieces and move forward.
1. Introduction

**Introduction**

It was the same generic eulogy that had been given so many times before. Empty phrases like "She was an important comrade" and "She will be missed" reverberated in Tatsumi's ears. The impersonality of the event was causing a mixture of bile and rage to rise in his throat. Mine deserved better, much better. She deserved a remembrance that was like her. Passion and fire.

Tatsumi forced himself to breathe deeply and bring his emotions under control. It wasn't the boss's fault. How many of these had she had to give recently? Sheele, Bulat, Chelsea, Lubbok, Susanoo, and now Mine.

Looking around at what was left of Night Raid, Tatsumi studied his rain drenched comrades as they stood around Mine's humble, unmarked grave. He could see sorrow and fatigue etched into each of their faces. However, there was more than that. There was also grit, determination and cold professionalism.

Being killed in the line of duty was a reality they all accepted, even expected. The revolution they were spearheading from the shadows was much bigger than the individual life. They all understood that when they had joined Night Raid.

Unfortunately, no amount of acceptance or conditioning could ever completely take the sting of losing a comrade away. Even more so for Tatsumi in regards to Mine and the relationship they had shared. Unslinging from his back the item he had wrapped up and brought to the funeral, Tatsumi gazed down at it and gripped it tightly as painful memories washed over him.

It was the last job they had worked together as a pair. The objective had been simple enough, gather Intel and get out. It wasn't even in the capitol. Needless to say, it had gone off without a hitch.

The town the job was in was holding a festival that evening and instead of heading for base immediately, Mine wanted to stay and enjoy the festival with him. At first he had declined, insisting that it was important for them to report back as soon as possible. Naturally that started another of their many "discussions" which ended like they always did, with him relenting and Mine getting what she wanted…

...

"Why do you always make everything so difficult on yourself Tatsumi"? Mine folded her arms across her chest, turned her head to the side and put her nose in the air. "As your superior, you know I am always going to win. Why fight it"?

"Yeah, yeah whatever you say". Tatsumi waved his hand dismissively. "Come on Mine, let's get this over with".

Mine clinched her little hands into fists and her arms shot out to her sides. "Over with"!? She exclaimed as she stamped her foot "Am I really that dreadful to be around? You should feel grateful I'd do anything with you"!

Tatsumi chuckled to himself. Mine's face was red and she was shaking. He knew that now would probably be a good time to stop, but sometimes he just couldn't help himself.

"I don't think I should answer that question." He seemed to muse while scratching his cheek. "I wouldn't want to be insubordinate to my superior now would I"?

Tatsumi gave Mine a teasing half smile and a wink.

Normally, now would be the time when the fight really started. Mine's pride and fiery temperament could only handle so much teasing before the time came for clobbering him. Her reaction however, was far from hostile or violent.

Mine suddenly looked flustered and seemed to be having a hard time finding her voice. Her eyes fell towards the ground and she had started fidgeting her index fingers. The angry red from her face vanished except for two patches of shy blush under each eye.

Tatsumi smiled at her reaction. This had been happening more frequently as of late. He wasn't sure why, but now, every once in a while when they were bickering, she would start acting like this.

The first time it had happened, Tatsumi had made the mistake of asking about it. His curiosity was rewarded with a slap and the word 'idiot'. Needless to say, he hadn't asked about it since. Truthfully, he didn't really care why as long as it kept happening. Mine looked absolutely adorable right now.

Gaining some control of herself, Mine puffed out her cheeks and mumbled something under her breath about Pumpkin.

"What was that"? Tatsumi asked grinning with his head cocked to one side.

Mine's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I said when we get back to base you better watch your back because Pumpkin will be gunning for you"!

"Well, if that's the case, I suppose I'm as good as dead as soon as we get back". Tatsumi did his best to put a wise look on his face. "I guess that means I better make the most of tonight".

Grinning ear to ear He feigned an exasperated look at Mine.

"Well, are we going to this festival or not"!?

Mine's eyes widened and she placed one hand on her hip and pointed directly at him with the other.

"Enough! I'm in charge here not you"!

Approaching with purpose, Mine reached his side and looked up out of the corner of her eyes at him. Hesitating for a moment, she blushed slightly again. Then clearing her throat she reached out and grabbed his arm with both of hers and hugged it tightly to her body.

"Let's go Tatsumi; the fun isn't going to wait for us. You're in luck I'm going to allow you to escort me! Be grateful"! She exclaimed and started dragging him toward the town.

It was now Tatsumi's turn to be flustered. He was overly aware of Mine's body as it pressed up against his arm. His cheeks were getting warm and his breath was catching in his throat.

"Mine…your brea...I mean your body…they are, I mean it's…it's on me"! His voice sounded shrill even in his own ears.

The edges of Mine's lips were curling up into a devilish smile. The kind of smile one gave when, after a struggle, victory had been achieved.

"I'm aware Tatsumi" was all she said as she led him to the festival.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

The Boss had finished the opening eulogy and, as they had done so in the past, another member would speak if they had anything they wanted to say. Akame now had the floor and was expressing a fond memory she had of Mine that had occurred shortly after they had met. It had been the change in speaker that had snapped Tatsumi out of his reminiscing.

Looking around Tatsumi noticed that the rain had intensified. It has started out as a light sprinkle, but now was something more akin to a steady drizzle. Although he knew it was a bit cliché, he couldn't help but draw comparisons between the weather and the way he felt.

Seeing his comrades shivering in the rain, a comical thought struck Tatsumi. Even in death Mine was a demanding pain in the butt. Despite his heart ache, Tatsumi shook his head and smiled as he thought about her personality which he had adored. Sure, she was loud and pushy and bossy and completely obnoxious, but …she was also very loving, and very, very loyal.

Thinking again about that moment before the festival, Tatsumi grabbed his arm in the area that Mine had pressed her body against. He could still "feel" her warmth. Tightening his grip, powerful emotions started to get the best of him. There was a stabbing pain in his heart and his vision was starting to blur with moisture. Taking a shuddering breath to regain control of himself he tried to focus on what Akame was saying.

It didn't work however, he couldn't stay focused. His overpowering memories of that night kept forcing themselves on him. Feeling powerless to control their onslaught he just closed his eyes and allowed his mind to wander…

...

When they had first arrived at the festival, it was very reminiscent of the first day Tatsumi had trained with Mine. She gleefully floated around from vendor to vendor like a lovely pink butterfly, brightening the mood of every person she came into contact with. Tatsumi was thoroughly enjoying watching her. They lived such a dark and stressful life, getting to watch Mine when she was relaxed and just enjoying her environment was a treat.

Tatsumi smiled to himself as he compared his feelings for Mine then and now. He had hated her at first. She was snotty and condescending and never missed an opportunity to mock him. She had even legitimately tried to kill him once. But then Kyoroku happened and something…changed.

A mutual, unspoken understanding had developed between the two of them. Their feelings for each other had gone beyond the realm of friend and comrade. For Tatsumi, his feelings had evolved even beyond that. He knew that he had fallen deeply in love with Mine.

Tatsumi had attempted a few times recently to express to her how he felt, but to no avail. Something always seemed to happen to interrupt him. A comrade walking in on the conversation, or Mine suddenly changing the subject. Perhaps it was for the best though. Death was around every corner for them. Maybe love just wasn't practical or even possible for people in their line of work.

Lost deep in thought Tatsumi didn't notice that Mine had stopped in front of him to read a flyer and he nearly ran her over. Twisting his body at the last second he managed to only bump her as he crashed to the ground landing squarely on his rump. Expecting to get lectured for his lack of awareness and clumsiness he was surprised when he looked up at Mine.

She was looking down at him holding the flyer. Her cheeks were flushed and she was wearing a huge open mouth smile with stars twinkling in her eyes. Turning the flyer around to show him, she exclaimed excitedly.

"There is a street dance tonight! I love dancing, doesn't that sound fun Tatsumi!? I haven't been to a dance in ages"!

Tatsumi lowered his eyes to hide his sudden sense of dread.

"Yeah…that sounds great Mine…dancing…"

The thought of being able to dance with Mine _was_ appealing, there was a slight problem however. He didn't really know how to dance. The village he grew up in had a few traditional dances they performed, and he was okay with those, but traditional folk dancing and common 'street dancing' were completely different things. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin Mine's fun by making them both look like idiots in front of a bunch of strangers.

Mine immediately noticed his lack of enthusiasm and her expression soured.

"Let me guess…you're not a dancer huh"? She sighed heavily and crossed her arms. "Of course you're not. What was I thin…-eh"?

Mine cut herself off mid-sentence and her face shifted to a look of mild concern.

"Hey, you okay? What's wrong"?

Seeing Mine's worry, Tatsumi started to feel a little self-conscious.

"It's nothing really, I just…"

Tatsumi grimaced when he realized the only real option he had was to tell the truth. Sighing in embarrassment, he started scratching at his cheek and continued in a sulky voice.

"…I don't really know how to dance so I wouldn't be a very fun partner; in fact I'd probably just embarrass you".

Mine's eyes widened slightly, that apparently hadn't been the answer she expected. Looking down at him thoughtfully, her face then softened and she spoke in a gentle voice.

"It's okay Tatsumi don't worry about it. No biggie, we'll think of something".

Bending over, she tilted her head, and smiled sweetly while extending her hand to help him up. Tatsumi paused before accepting her offered assistance. She looked particularly beautiful right now, and it had him a little flustered. Somewhat in a daze, he reached out and slowly pulled himself up with her hand.

"Thanks" he mumbled quietly.

"Sure" Mine replied while looking at her hand that was still in his grasp, cheeks starting to redden.

Tatsumi realized why she was blushing and quickly pulled his hand free, his own cheeks warming up. The two of them sat there momentarily in awkward silence.

"So now what"? Tatsumi finally asked trying to change the atmosphere.

"I'm getting kind of hungry, so we're going to eat"! Mine replied while looking around at their surroundings, all traces of discomfort gone.

"Yeah, I could eat; you know what sounds good…"? He started to ask but was interrupted by a happy squeal from Mine.

"A crepe booth, I'll be right back Tatsumi, wait here"! She ordered.

Tatsumi smiled and shook his head as she skipped off toward the crepe stand.

"Well isn't she a pink ray of sunshine? You're a lucky man". An unknown voice spoke from right next to him.

"More like a pink fireball" he answered without thinking. Realizing that he had no idea who he was talking to Tatsumi turned toward the sound of the voice.

A slightly rotund, aged woman was standing by him. She had thin white hair, grey eyes and weathered skin. She carried with her a staff that had three cross pieces on the upper side of it. On each cross piece multiple ribbons were tied on for display. She was obviously a merchant.

"Can I help you"? Tatsumi asked cautiously. He was irritated with himself that she had been able to get so close to him without notice. If she had been an enemy he would be dead right now.

"I'm just a traveling merchant selling my wares young man. I saw the hairstyle your beautiful girlfriend was wearing and thought she may want to purchase some of my ribbons. Sorry if I startled you." The old lady smiled and tilted her staff toward him so he could better see the ribbons.

Hearing someone refer to Mine as his 'beautiful girlfriend' caused a goofy chuckle to escape his lips and a silly grin split his face. Realizing how ridiculous he must look Tatsumi cleared his throat to compose himself and then turned his attention to the ribbons.

Most of the ribbons he could see were all dark colors, various shades of blue and purple and black. In fact all of them were like that except one. There was one ribbon that was thinner and longer than the rest, it was also bright red and had some kind of gold lettering on it.

Tatsumi reached for the red ribbon to get a better look at it. Strangely, although it appeared to be tied on, it fell off into his hand as soon as he touched it.

"A fine choice young man, a fine choice indeed." The old lady said quietly.

"This gold lettering, I've never seen it before. What is it; do you know what it says"? Tatsumi asked, holding the ribbon up.

"It is an ancient tribal language no longer in use. The lettering on that ribbon spells out the word _forever_ ". The tone of the old woman's voice sounded almost solemn.

"Forever huh"? Turning the ribbon in the sunlight to get a better look at it, Tatsumi started thinking about the "red string of fate" comment that had come from the leader of "The Way of Peace". For some reason the thought caused the hair to stand up on the back of his neck and a chill run up his spine. Panicking a little he looked over at the crepe booth to make sure Mine was ok; he saw that she was just finishing up, safe and sound.

Shaking the off the odd feeling, he decided that this wasn't the ribbon for Mine. She didn't like red anyways. The only reason she had been wearing red ribbons lately was to honor Chelsea, their dead comrade.

"Well thank you for your time ma'am but I'm not…-eh"?

Turning around to give the ribbon back, the old lady was nowhere to be found. Feeling puzzled, he started looking around for the old merchant.

"What the hell…"? Tatsumi was left scratching his head. At that moment he heard Mine's voice calling for him, cutting short his search.

"Hey Tatsumi"!

She was running toward him with two crepes in her hands and a big smile on her face. For some reason the thought of her seeing the ribbon embarrassed him so he tried to quickly shove it in his pocket.

"Okay, which one do you want"? She exclaimed happily "I have a strawberry banana and a huckleberry. Also, what did you just shove in your pocket"?

Mine had an overly innocent look on her face. After looking at the crepes, Tatsumi figured out why. The strawberry banana already had a bite taken out of it. He also noticed that she had some of the filling on her cheek.

Tatsumi wasn't sure why he felt the way he did, but he needed to distract her from asking about his pocket again and he saw a golden opportunity to do that. Casually reaching forward, he took one finger and wiped the filling off of her face and put it in his mouth.

"MMMM…strawberry banana, _my favorite_ ". Reaching for the huckleberry crepe he gave her a sarcastic look. "I think I'll have the huckleberry, thank you Mine".

Taking the crepe out of her hand he gave her a smirk then took a bite. Mine blushed slightly and took another bite of her crepe. Not saying anything more about his pocket, the plan seemed to have worked.

"Hey Tatsumi," Mine suddenly asked "would you mind switching your crepe to your other hand"? She was still blushing and her voice sounded kind of timid when she asked.

"What for"? He absentmindedly replied.

"Just do it, Idiot"! The timidness was instantly gone from her voice, replaced by irritation.

"Fine, fine, sorry didn't realize it was that important to you" Tatsumi chuckled at her sudden transformation.

Although in a sweet mood right now, Mine's fangs and fire were _always_ just under the surface. Admittedly, he _was_ a bit confused though by her sudden snappy reaction.

As soon as he switched the crepe to his other hand he felt Mine's hand grab his and she intertwined their fingers. Looking down at her out of the corner of his eye he saw that she had risen up on her tippy toes. She gently placed her silky soft lips on his cheek and held them there briefly.

Tatsumi's felt his whole body heat up and go rigid at the same time. His heart started beating so hard that he was worried that Mine would actually hear it. As she lowered herself back down she squeezed his hand tightly and looked at the ground.

"I just…I just wanted to thank you Tatsumi. This is the happiest I've been in a long time".

Seeing Mine so meek looking helped Tatsumi to calm down. Squeezing her hand back, he bent his head down toward hers to try to draw eye contact.

"I feel the same way Mine…really".

Looking into his eyes, Mine smiled warmly and nodded. In unison they turned and started to slowly stroll through town. As they walked, Mine kept her hand in his and even leaned her head against his shoulder.

Gazing up at the evening sky Tatsumi thought about the red ribbon in his pocket and what is said on it. It seemed fitting. If he could have one wish granted at that moment it would be for this night to last forever. Of course though, he knew it wouldn't.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Tatsumi was re-awakened to reality by a sudden flash of lightning, boom of thunder and strong rush of wind. The weather was definitely intensifying. Looking around to gain his bearings, he noticed that Leone was now in the midst of speaking. He was so focused inward that he had not even noticed the change this time.

Whatever story Leone was telling everyone seemed to be having the desired effect. Akame and the Boss were both nodding their heads with sad smiles on their faces. Seeing his comrades' smile was a soothing sight for Tatsumi so, despite his pain, a faint smile touched his lips as well.

The smile faded quickly though and he shook his head in disbelief. He just couldn't _believe_ she was gone. A small part of him felt like this was all a bad dream; he would wake up in the morning and everything would be back to 'normal'.

The rest of him knew the truth though. He was going to wake up, and all that was going to be there was the awful empty void that had developed in his chest, slowly trying to syphon away his will to live. Mine was gone and she wasn't coming back. The sooner he accepted that the better.

Tatsumi closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath. Re-opening his eyes he glanced in the direction of the grave, and his blood suddenly ran cold. Standing before him was Mine, smiling warmly with her head slightly tilted, a helping hand extended toward him.

Knowing that this was impossible, Tatsumi fought off the urge to reach for her and instead squeezed his eyes tightly shut and brought his hand up to his mouth to help stifle the sob that was rising into his throat. He could feel his whole body trembling and his knees felt weak. Grinding his teeth together he opened his eyes and looked toward the grave again. Of course, she was gone.

Feeling eyes on him he looked around and saw that the boss was watching him intently. The expression on her face was neutral and emotionless yet he could feel her gaze burrowing through him. Uncomfortable with the pressure he was feeling from her Tatsumi tried to force another small smile. His effort paid off. The boss nodded to him slightly and turned her attention to Leone.

Sighing in relief Tatsumi tried to turn his attention to Leone's story. Once again though he couldn't focus on what was being said. His grief stricken mind seemed willing to only focus on one thing. Sighing sadly, he allowed his brain to drift back to its melancholy sojourn.

...

As darkness fell, the streets filled with people and the festival launched into full swing. The excitement in the air was almost tangible. There were booths set up for everything; food, fun and merchandise. Clowns were walking the streets handing out balloons and painting faces. There were entertainers on every corner with performances ranging from dramas to magic shows.

Tatsumi and Mine slowly navigated their way through the streets searching for the dance area while enjoying each other's company. Eventually finding the plaza where the street dance was being held, they learned they were a bit early so they found a bench to sit on to rest. As they sat down Mine managed to position herself so that she ended up with his arm around her. Smiling up at him sweetly she nestled herself into his chest and closed her eyes.

Tatsumi couldn't believe how touchy feely Mine was being, it wasn't like her at all. After getting a hold of it earlier in the day, she had only let his hand go when she absolutely had to, and then as soon as possible she was right back by his side, hand in hand. He was starting to wonder if something was wrong. He considered asking her about it, but she looked so happy and peaceful right now he didn't want to spoil it.

Looking down at her while she rested on his chest, Tatsumi couldn't help but admire how serene she looked. Noticing a few stray hairs that had fallen across Mine's face in a way that didn't look very comfortable, he gently swept them to the side, trying not to disturb her. Smiling at his touch, Mine reached up and grabbed his hand before he could pull it away.

"Thank you that was bothering me". She said sleepily.

Pulling his hand to her face, she nuzzled it softly and then placed it on her cheek.

Tatsumi could feel his heart skip a beat as he felt the warmth and softness of her skin. Her delicate breaths were gently flowing over his hand causing both of his arms to burst out in goose bumps. Despite these feelings however, he just could not shake his uneasiness about the way Mine was acting. Feeling conflicted; He rested his cheek on her head and tried his best to sort things out.

A slight chuckle escaped from Mine's lips.

"Your heart rate just went through the roof". Pulling her head back slightly, she opened her eyes halfway and gave Tatsumi a playful look. "I'm glad I have that effect on you".

Looking down at her, a thin smile split his face. "Yeah" was the only thing he could think of to say.

Sitting herself up the rest of the way, she looked inquisitively at him.

"What's wrong Tatsumi"? Her tone sounded somewhat defensive.

Tatsumi looked helplessly at her as he vacillated on how he should respond. Deciding honesty was the best policy he just asked her what was on his mind.

"Is everything ok Mine"? His voice was laced with caution.

"What do you mean? Everything is great Tatsumi"? There was definitely an underlying edge to her tone.

"Well, it's just…" Tatsumi knew he was on dangerous ground right now and needed to choose his words wisely. Looking out over the festival and scratching his cheek, he proceeded. "I just wanted to make sure everything was ok. You don't seem yourself today, your being really…sweet".

Tatsumi groaned inwardly and wanted to punch himself in the face as soon as the words left his mouth. That was not what he meant to say at all. Sneaking a glance at Mine his concerns were validated. She was glaring at him with her arms folded across her chest. A killing intent was radiating from her body.

When she spoke her tone was dangerously flat.

"Tatsumi…did you just say you were _concerned_ about me because I was… _being sweet_ "?!

Tatsumi's brain went into full blown panic mode. "NO NO NO NO That's-That's not what I meant, I just meant…uh…your acting weird today…ah…no…what I mean is…ugh…I'm sorry Mine I'm…I'm an idiot. Sometimes I just-eh"?

The killing intent had vanished and Mine had turned away from him to look out over the festival. Placing her hands on her legs she clenched her dress tightly and squeezed her eyes shut. After a moment she let out a deep sigh and turned toward him.

"Ask me again later" She had a pleading expression on her face. "I promise I will tell you later, but for right now, I really want to just enjoy this time together with you, ok?"

Reaching out, she took his hands in hers.

"Mine…" Something about her response worried him, but seeing the feeling in her eyes, there was no way he could refuse. "Of course".

"Well, seems we still have time before the dance starts" Mine abruptly stood up, her guise instantly changing. "We're going to go have some more fun"!

Scanning the plaza Mine's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Tatsumi look a shooting booth"! Grabbing his hands before he even had time to look, she was off, pulling them through the crowds of people who were gathering for the street dance.

While being pulled, he tried to figure out what it could be that she was going to tell him. He didn't get anywhere though because every time he tried to focus his attention on the matter he almost plowed someone over.

"Mine slow down; you keep running me into people"! Tatsumi yelled while narrowly dodging yet another person.

Just as he managed to regain his balance he looked up and noticed that Mine had stopped in front of him, causing him to have to dodge again.

"Sheesh Mine you need to be more-" Seeing the look on her face, Tatsumi held his tongue.

Letting go of his hand, Mine folded her arms across her chest. Gone was the soft and happy young lady who had been having fun and enjoying time with her comrade. Standing before him now was the Mine he was much more familiar with, the professional assassin. Her switch had been flipped so completely and suddenly Tatsumi took a half step back. Following her gaze, he attempted to assess what was going on to cause her sudden transformation.

Mine's eyes were focused on a group of ruff looking adolescents who were standing around what appeared to be a young girl and her mother. Kneeling down, the girl was sobbing and holding her face, her mother's arms were wrapped around her protectively. Both were dressed in little more than rags.

"Please Sir forgive her"! The mother cried "She's not used to your customs yet! She's never been to a festival like this before; I'm sorry, she got excited and didn't realize she was cutting in front of you"!

Leering down at the two, one of the ruffians spoke.

"It wouldn't be a problem if you filthy dogs knew how to train your pups. Humph…you're little more than beasts. This is our town, your kind aren't welcome here. Go back to whatever burrow you crawled out of". His comments were met with cheers of praise from his companions.

"We can't sir," The mother replied softly "the Empire accused our tribe of plotting with the revolutionary army and destroyed it. All of our men were…" Her voice broke a little at that point.

Looking like she was reliving a nightmare, the woman then shook her head and changed the subject.

"We have nowhere to go. I brought my daughter here for a new start and because I thought this experience may help ease her pain. Please sir, forgive her".

The man stepped closer to the mother and daughter and paused, seeming to be in thought. After a moment he laughed loudly and kicked the mother in the back. The woman neither flinched nor made a sound. She just looked up at the man defiantly and tightened her protective grip on her daughter. Seeing her resolve the thug sneered angrily and spit on them.

"Go find a gutter to sleep in filthy bitch-dog". Turning back to his cheering friends the man laughed obnoxiously and patted one of his companions on the back.

Having had their fun, the group seemed to lose interest in the duo.

Tatsumi was dumbfounded by the scene he had just witnessed before him. He couldn't believe how the two had been treated. What was worse was the other townsfolk had just walked by, either completely ignoring the situation or giving nods of approval! He had heard stories from Mine about how badly tribesmen were treated, but this was the first time he had ever seen it.

A sobering thought suddenly occurred to him. Was _this_ what Mine's childhood was like!? Is this what she had to endure!? He realized the answer to that question was no, hers had been worse. She had faced the same hatred and bigotry, but she had had to face it all alone.

Looking back at Mine, Tatsumi was taken aback by what he saw. The freshly emerged assassin was gone, replaced by something more akin to the little girl before them. Mine's face was all red and tears were streaming out of her eyes. She was clenching and unclenching her fists so hard her knuckles were white. Her whole body was shaking heavily and it was obvious her breathing was irregular.

"Mine…" Tatsumi's voice was thick with concern. Reaching out he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Turning toward him, the anguish from the ghosts of her past was clearly evident in her magenta eyes.

"I hate them Tatsumi"! She whispered through clenched teeth. " _Hate_ them"!

Seeing Mine in this state was deeply unsettling to him. Mine was very proud and thus, didn't _usually_ cry in front of others. He had seen her cry a small handful of times. And in each of those, the tears amounted to only a sniffle before she regained control of herself.

Stepping forward slowly, He gently wrapped his arms around her. Eagerly accepting his embrace, Mine collapsed in his arms, buried her face in his chest and started to cry. Unsure of what else to do, he began to caress her back and whisper soothing words in her ear.

Feeling Mine's little body wrack from the sobs, something broke in Tatsumi. He could feel a burning rage start to build in his chest like an inferno. Publicly hurting and humiliating the woman and her daughter just because they were tribal was infuriating enough. But to also hurt Mine so badly she would cry like this… _absolutely_ unforgivable!

Lifting his head, Tatsumi glared over in the direction of the thugs, fire coursing through his veins and violence radiating from his body. He could almost feel Incursio beckoning, whispering words of malice to him, feeding his wrath. Clenching his teeth and fists tightly, he prepared to summon his Imperial Arm.

Tatsumi was so absorbed by his anger that he didn't notice that Mine had disengaged from his arms until he felt her small hand cup his cheek. Surprised, he looked down at her. She had already managed to pull herself together. Her slightly red and poufy eyes were soft and understanding, a sad smile adorned her face.

"Hey" She said soothingly as she started to caress his cheek. "Calm down, I'm okay".

Hesitating for a moment, Tatsumi looked back up at his targets.

"No Tatsumi, me, look at _me_ ". Mine squeezed his cheeks lightly and turned his face back toward hers.

Her voice was still warm, but there was a commanding edge to it.

"You know we can't do anything Tatsumi". She spoke softly, so only he could hear. "We can't risk drawing that kind of attention to ourselves. It could jeopardize all of our activities and allies here".

Pausing for a moment, she looked almost hesitant to continue. When she did, her voice sounded somewhat distant and she was looking at the ground.

"I'm sorry you had to see me in that condition, it must have been hard for you".

Something in her voice and demeanor pierced through his haze of fury. Tatsumi slowly unclenched his fists; he could feel his hands shaking violently. Looking back up at him, Mine took hold of both of his hands and drew them to her bosom and held them there tightly with one hand. With the other, she reached for his face again and brushed some hair away from his eyes then started gently massaging his jaw muscle on one side.

"Relax Tatsumi, everything is ok now, I'm fine" She said while smiling sweetly up at him.

Seeing her smile and hearing the kind tone of her voice, Tatsumi could feel his anger start to ebb. Reaching up and patting her hand on his face, he smiled down at her and chuckled, somewhat embarrassed.

"Alright, alright, I'm calm" His voice sounded a little shaky but the intensity in his heart had vanished.

Sighing deeply with relief, Mine hugged him and nestled her head under his chin. Caught off guard, Tatsumi tensed up, but only briefly. Smiling, He realized he was starting to get used to the affection she had been showing him today.

"You had me really, really worried". Mine spoke curtly "I thought for sure you were going to lose it and turn those guys into red smears."

Stepping back she put one hand on her hip and stuck a finger right in his face with the other.

"You have GOT to learn to control your emotions Tatsumi, you are going to get yourself or one of us killed someday". The glare she had on her face as she said this was more cute than angry Tatsumi thought.

Finishing her mini lecture she leaned back into his body, wrapped her arms around him and started to slowly rub his back. Feeling Mine's hands gently tracing his spine, Tatsumi's whole body relaxed to the point of almost being able to fall asleep. After a moment though, Mine nudged him with her shoulder and dramatically cleared her throat.

"Tatsumi…" Her voice trailed off, she seemed to be waiting for something,

"What"?

"Tatsumi, I'm holding you…" Her voice trailed off again.

"Yeah, I know. It feels nice".

Mine emitted a strange strangled sound and then a growl.

"Tatsumi! Put your arms around me as well you idiot! This is embarrassing"! Mine's voice cracked like a whip.

"Oh yeah… sorry"!

Blushing, Tatsumi wrapped his arms around her and rested his cheek on her head. Mine tightened her embrace and tried to nuzzle even deeper into his chest.

"That's better". She sighed happily.

It was fleeting, but for a brief moment in time, holding Mine in his arms and feeling her embrace, Tatsumi felt like his life was perfect. He knew that no matter what hardships or obstacles he had to face in the future, as long as Mine was by his side he could overcome anything. Closing his eyes, Tatsumi relaxed and tried to just enjoy the warmth that was spreading throughout his whole body.

"I can't believe how much I let that affect me" Mine suddenly mused.

Pulling away from him she looked truly perplexed.

"Yeah, I was pretty shocked, It's not like you to get emotional like that" Tatsumi agreed somewhat sadly, lamenting the fact she had let him go.

Narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms, she gave him a stern look.

"I'm pretty sure it's your fault, Tatsumi"!

"My fault, that's ridiculous! How do you figure"? Tatsumi returned her glare.

"It's not ridiculous at all, don't you know anything"!? Mine put her hands on her hips and got right in his face.

"I guess not, why don't you enlighten me since you think you're so smart"! Responding to Mine's 'aggression', Tatsumi leaned forward.

Now deadlocked in a staring match, he and Mine's faces were mere centimeters apart.

Staring into her beautiful eyes, Tatsumi could feel his resolve to stay strong start to waiver. The thought of her lips being so close to his was also making it extremely hard to focus. Digging deep and narrowing his eyes, Tatsumi intensified his stare, refusing to budge.

Mine's eyes also narrowed, they seemed to be a bastion of unwavering stubbornness. However, Tatsumi noted that there seemed to be some defectors in her persona of defiance. Her cheeks were starting to blush ever so slightly, and her lips had parted just enough to show that she was breathing through her mouth and not her nose. He couldn't help but wonder if she was having the same "issues" that he was.

Almost like she could read his thoughts, Mine suddenly turned away from him. Looking back at him from over her shoulder she taunted him.

"You're such a dumb country boy; everyone knows when two people develop romantic feelings for each other they tend to take on some of each other's personality tra…" Mine cut herself short as she seemed to realize what she had just said.

Turning rapidly back towards him, her eyes were as big as saucers and her face and ears were the reddest he'd ever seen them.

"Wait…no, that's not what I meant…what I meant was…ummm…when two people like each other…ugh…no, no…I mean…oh man…"

Giving up on trying to explain away her words, she instead lowered her head, pouted her lips and started fidgeting her index fingers together nervously. Tatsumi would have laughed at her reaction but he was too stunned over what she had just said.

Taking a deep breath to compose himself, he looked at Mine, who was still staring at the ground, tapping her fingers together and looking miserable. Reaching out he took hold of each of her index fingers. She shyly, almost fearfully looked up at him.

"Hey…Didn't you say there was a shooting booth around here you wanted to visit"? His voice and smile were full of warmth.

Returning his smile after a moment's hesitation, Mine nodded slowly, her discomfort seeming to vanish.

"Yeah…I did".

There was a sudden light in her eyes Tatsumi had never seen before. He wasn't sure what is was, but he knew that seeing it caused his heart to flutter.

"Alright then..." bowing at the waist slightly, he extended one of his hands palm up. "Lead the way".

Smiling and nodding in agreement, Mine took Tatsumi by the hand and led him toward the rest of the evening.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Tatsumi sighed deeply to himself and looked around. Leone was still spiritedly telling her memory of Mine, while Akame and the Boss seemed completely engrossed in it. The mood definitely felt lighter than it had the last time he checked. The weather even seemed to have improved. It was still raining, but the wind had died down and the clouds didn't look as angry as they did before.

Unfortunately, Tatsumi's emotional state had fallen dangerously low. The cold hands of hopelessness were tightening their grip on his spirit. Knowing that Mine was really gone and there was nothing he could do to change that was tearing him apart both mentally and emotionally. The thought of never being able to hear her laugh or see her smile again was unbearably painful.

Perhaps the worst pain of all though, was being caused by the deadly poison that was working its way through his soul, the poison known as guilt. No matter how he looked at it, the simple truth was that had he not been captured, Mine would still be alive. She died rescuing _him_ , trying to fix _his_ failure. Mine's blood…was on _his_ hands.

So every gentle caress or tender embrace he would _never feel again_ …They were gone because of _him_.

Tatsumi could feel his eyes start to burn as the unwanted tears once again began their assault. Closing them tightly, he did his best to restrain, or at least hold the tears at bay. The battle however seemed to be a lost cause. The pain was just too great, the guilt, too heavy. His breathing was starting to hitch in his chest and he could feel the pressure building behind his eyelids.

Just as the building hurricane of emotion was about to make landfall and unleash it's torrents of rain and fury, a bell like voice from deep within his subconscious filled his ears.

 _"…Stop crying. You're a man, aren't you…"?_

Mine's voice echoed though his mind. Hearing her voice, even if it came from within his own memories, granted him a momentary respite. A respite just long enough for him to lash out desperately for control of his rampaging emotions.

Tatsumi inhaled deeply through his nose and slowly exhaled through his mouth. As he released his breath, he pictured the intense overgrowth of pain, anger and guilt dispersing from his body, leaving behind mere seeds of the same emotions. Opening his eyes, Tatsumi then buried those seeds down deep where they could be dealt with at a later time.

Feeling like he was back in control of himself, Tatsumi smiled bitterly. Even though Mine was gone, she was still a tiny pillar of strength he could lean on. He knew he needed to cultivate that same strength; it was going to be needed in the days ahead. The time for mourning and tears _would_ come, but it wasn't now, not yet.

Thinking about Mine's ability to overcome adversity, Tatsumi found himself suddenly reminded of the tribal mother and her daughter, which left him wondering if they were still okay. Mine had spotted them in an alleyway later that evening and had given them some money. When he had asked how much she gave them, all she had said was "Enough for a fresh start" and then changed the subject.

Tatsumi had definitely gained a whole new perspective on Mine's childhood and her motivation for joining Night Raid that evening. He couldn't help but think how grossly unfair it was that someone who had such a noble goal was dead, yet monsters like Esdeath and Minister Honest were still walking unpunished, free to cause havoc. It was a childish, unrealistic way to look at the situation, he knew that, but that was just how he felt.

Closing his eyes and recalling that moment, he could still 'see' Mine's tears and 'hear' the agony in her voice as she helplessly watched the brutal treatment of the woman and her daughter.

 _"I hate them Tatsumi…hate them"!_

Those words rang in his mind. That moment was one of the few examples where he had seen Mine's emotional fortitude falter. It stood out to him as a shining testament to the strength of her desire to see a world free from discrimination.

Another explosion of emotion erupted through Tatsumi's veins. Clenching his fist as tightly as the pain and sorrow that was gripping his heart, Tatsumi swore to himself that he would make Mine's dream, the dream she no longer had the ability to fulfill, a reality. They _would_ bring down the Empire and usher in a new era. A new era where tragedies like Mine's childhood, or the hatred that mother and daughter had to face, were nothing but a distant memory.

Completely absorbed in his heartfelt vow, Tatsumi's mind subconsciously drifted back to the night that would become a major catalyst in this renewed determination.

...

Tatsumi could literally feel the body heat emanating from Mine. Her irritation and disgust were obvious; she wasn't even trying to hide it. Turning his gaze from Mine to the source of her outrage, Tatsumi couldn't help but sympathize a little with her strong reaction.

Leaning provocatively against the inside of the shooting booth counter was a scantily clothed exotic woman of incredible beauty. Her skin was a rich shade of bronze in color . She had large liquid brown eyes and long ravens black hair that had been twisted into hundreds of small braids. Her whole body was well muscled and toned, except for her most outrageous feature. Her perfectly shaped, barely covered breasts, whose size put even Leone's to shame.

Raising her arms in the air the woman stretched languorously, causing the already stressed looking fabric covering her chest to flex alarmingly, leaving virtually nothing to the imagination. Tatsumi could feel his heart start to pound and his brow start to sweat. Simultaneously, he could sense an _overwhelming_ killing intent coming from Mine's direction.

Relaxing her stretch, the woman looked at him with a predatory look in her eyes. Slowly, almost cat like; she sauntered over to stand directly across from him. Leaning over, she placed her hands, one at a time, on the counter. Each time one of her hands hit the counter her breasts bounced tantalizingly. Leaning closer to Tatsumi with a mysterious smirk on her face, she purred in an overly seductive voice.

"Welcome…Might I interest you in round"?

The woman's face was so close to his, he could feel her cinnamon scented breath on his face as she spoke. Tatsumi opened his mouth to speak, but no words would come out. Cheeks starting to burn, Tatsumi took a step back and swallowed hard. Summoning all his willpower he tore his eyes away from the woman before him and looked at Mine.

To say that Mine's visage was scary was quite the understatement. Her head was tilted to the side slightly and she had an overdramatic, fake smile on her face that didn't quite reach her eyes which, unfortunately, were locked on him like one of her assassination marks. Walking toward him somewhat stiffly, her aura left no doubt about what her intentions were. Tatsumi felt terror grip his chest as he wondered why she was looking at _him_.

Paralyzed with fear, Tatsumi could only watch as Mine leaned her body against his arm and slowly slid her hands up to his bicep.

"Are you enjoying yourself? How's the view… _Tat-su-mi_ "!? Emphasizing each syllable, she almost spit his name through her tightly clenched teeth. While speaking she grabbed a hold of the sensitive skin of his inner bicep and twisted hard.

Searing pain lanced through his arm and he visibly jumped. Seeming to be satisfied with his reaction, Mine relaxed her grip. Her smile's falsehood seemed to disappear, replaced with grim amusement. It looked like she was about to say more, but was interrupted by the woman behind the counter.

"How adorable, did you come here to try to win a prize for your darling little sister"? The sarcasm in her voice was as obvious as her bosom.

One of Mine's eyes started twitching at the comment. The smile and chuckle she gave while turning to face the woman were equally scary. Tatsumi decided he needed to do something or things were going to fall apart fast.

"Heh-heh…she's not my little sister, in fact, she is actually a year older than me, but you are right about one thing, I would like to try to win her a prize. How would I go about doing that"? Tatsumi spoke a little faster than he intended to.

Wanting to be in position to hold Mine back if things started to turn ugly, Tatsumi casually slid his arm around her diminutive but trembling shoulders. He also hoped that by making them look like more than friends the woman would refrain from anymore antagonizing comments.

As soon as his arm touched her body, Mine's head snapped up, obviously caught off guard. Tightening his hold, he simply smiled warmly at her. Visually searching his face for a moment, she then returned his smile, slid her arm around his lower back and nuzzled her head into his body.

"You're not his little sister? Oh my… I'm so sorry, I just assumed…" The sarcasm in the woman's voice was still apparent.

Looking pointedly down at Mine's breasts the woman slid one of her arms under her own, making them look even bigger. Giving Mine a matter of fact look she then turned her eyes back to Tatsumi and smiled. "The rules are simple…"

Tatsumi could feel Mine's whole body tense up, and she started to make that strangled noise again. Tightening his arm around her shoulders, he reached over with his other hand and calmly took hold of one of hers.

"…You get 10 shots per 5 coins. The more consecutive targets you knock down, the better the prize you can win". The women swept her hand toward the back of the booth where there were multiple rows and columns of plate sized targets with red and blue bull's eye's painted on them. There were also prizes set up in a tier style on the sides of the booth. "As you can see, the rules are simple, any questions"?

"I have a question," Mine piped up. "Why are you working here at a booth when your demeanor and 'assets' would be better suited doing other more… _lucrative_ work"?

Tatsumi sighed to himself and looked down at Mine. She had placed her open hand on her hip and was glaring at the woman with a thin smile on her face.

"Oh this isn't my regular job _sweetie_ ". The woman's tone was one you would use when talking to a small child. "This is my father's booth; I just told him I would watch it for him while he enjoyed the festival for a bit. Now, if you don't mind, could you please be quiet and let the adults talk"?

Tatsumi winced and started looking around for the best escape routes. Mine had to be nearing her breaking point. Surprisingly, instead of freaking out, Mine simply turned to him, grabbed his side tightly and asked in a strained voice "So Tatsumi, about that prize…"

Looking down at her, despite his extreme discomfort with this situation he almost laughed. Her cheeks were flushed and one of her eyes was twitching constantly. She once again was wearing that scary fake smile and her eyes were virtually screaming " _Tatsumi, you need to intervene RIGHT NOW"!_

"Ah-ha ha" Tatsumi gave a nervous chuckle and started scratching at his cheek with his index finger. "Yes, about that prize, let's take a look at our options".

Hurriedly scanning the prize shelves, his vision was immediately drawn to a bright pink object on one of the middle tiers. Looking closer, the object appeared to be a stuffed pink lady knight, sword and shield at the ready.

Tatsumi smiled fondly. _A little pink warrior huh?_ Looking down at Mine his smile only deepened. Her look had devolved from the scary smile and crazy eyes to a pout with one cheek puffed out. Noticing him looking at her, she switched to a questioning look.

"What"? She asked suspiciously.

"Oh nothing, sorry". Realizing that he had been staring Tatsumi blushed a little and turned to the woman in the booth.

"How many do I need to knock down for the prizes on that shelf there"? He asked and pointed to the shelf with the pink knight on it.

"Four, and remember, it's not four total, you have to knock down four in a row". The woman had an assured smirk on her face.

"Four in a row it is then" Tatsumi replied confidently.

Fishing out 5 coins he handed them to the woman. In return she reached under the counter, pulled out a rifle and, leaning in very close to him, started to explain how it worked.

"Now, it's already loaded with ten shots. To shoot it, all you have to do is…" A ferocious growl tore through the air and a tiny little body suddenly appeared between Tatsumi and the woman behind the counter pushing Tatsumi back and snatching the gun.

"Enough! He knows how to shoot a gun! It's not complicated"!

Mines chest was heaving and the glare she shot at the woman could have frozen fire. Turning to Tatsumi with the same look, she handed him the gun somewhat forcibly and turned away promptly. Once again he wondered what he had done to deserve a look like that.

"Alright then, let's do this"! Tatsumi tried to say as cheerfully as possible.

Stepping up to the center of the counter Tatsumi looked over at the pink knight again. _Four in a row huh, piece of cake._ Slowly raising the rifle, he took aim at his target, took a calming breath and gently squeezed the trigger…

…The shot flew form the barrel of the gun and whizzed by the target missing it completely. Hanging his head in shame, Tatsumi tossed the gun on the counter.

"I can't believe I didn't even knock down _one"._ He lamented as Mine patted his arm sympathetically with a smirk on her face.

"Don't feel bad you still get a consolation prize" the woman said cheerfully as she offered him a plastic tub with various cheap looking knick knacks in it.

Grimacing Tatsumi looked into the tub and saw a plastic pink butterfly ring. Pulling out the ring, he turned to Mine and offered it to her with a depressed, apologetic look on his face.

Taking the ring with a big smile on her face she tried to put in on her right ring finger. Unfortunately the ring was too small so she switched to her right pinky finger, and after a bit of a struggle, got it on. Stretching her arm out she arched her wrist and looked at the ring on her finger.

"It's beautiful Tatsumi, I love it"! She exclaimed with a _bit_ too much enthusiasm.

"Mhmm". Was all he said as he leveled a pointed gaze at her.

"Don't worry about it Tatsumi, it's not your fault. Those targets are rigged and you just didn't catch it".

"Really, how so"? Tatsumi said incredulously

"The targets are weighted so that the bull's eye is _not_ the best place to hit if you want to knock one down".

"So…the bull's eyes are just distractions"!? Tatsumi was shocked.

"Yup…but like I said, don't worry". Mine reached up, pinched his cheek and said playfully "I'm gonna avenge you"!

Spinning quickly on her heel, Mine approached the counter confidently. Watching her, Tatsumi smiled to himself. It was sweet of her to try to comfort him, but unfortunately the information was irrelevant and she knew it. The truth to the matter was that out of ten shots, he only managed to hit a target once.

Reaching the counter Mine's eyes started to scan the different prizes the booth had to offer. Suddenly smiling wickedly she turned to the woman and, pointing to a shelf, asked what she needed to do to win a prize from it.

The woman laughed scornfully.

"To win a prize from that shelf you need to knock down ten targets in a row. Good luck with that, I don't think it's ever been done".

The woman then got a mischievous look on her face and she continued.

"By the way, good job on figuring out the secret with the targets, you're smart".

She then looked directly at Mine's chest then back up to her face and smirked.

"At least you have something working for you".

Ignoring the woman's taunt, Mine casually took out five coins and threw them on the counter. "Gun please" was all she said.

Reaching under the counter again the woman handed Mine a rifle. Taking the gun Mine looked it over for a moment and then balanced in on her hand. Seeming satisfied with her inspection she took a deep breath and raised the gun toward the targets. However, instead of shooting, she looked at the woman.

"So…I was just thinking. Since no one has ever knocked down ten in a row before if I manage to do it I should get a special bonus for being the first".

The woman laughed and waved a dismissive hand at Mine.

"Sure, sure kid. You knock down ten in a row and you can have a special bonus. What do you want"?

Lowering the gun, Mine put a finger on her chin and looked up as if thinking deeply. Inhaling sharply like she had a sudden thought, Mine looked at the woman with eyes full of nothing but ill intent.

"I want you to put a shirt on that covers up those awkward masses of fat above your belly and admit that petite perky breasts are better than oversized tacky ones".

"Ha! Jealous to the core I see"! The woman chortled. "Fair enough, you knock down ten in a row and I will cover these 'awkward masses of fat' and admit that childish washboard chests are better than a full womanly figure".

Nodding with satisfaction, Mine smiled and re-raised the gun toward the targets. Taking a breath she squeezed the trigger sending a projectile speeding toward the target. The pellet smashed into one of the targets immediately dropping it.

Throwing the woman a sly smile, Mine slowly raised one finger and calmly stated "One". Looking back at the targets Mine took aim and fired again…

…"Nine" Mine stated just as calmly as she had after knocking down the first target. A slight cheer rose up from a small group of children that had at some point gathered as she was in the midst of shooting. The woman had an openly hostile look on her face as she glared at Mine.

Tatsumi chuckled while watching the woman. After Mine had knocked down her fifth target the woman seemed to realize that she was being hustled. Served her right for all the grief she had given Mine.

"I don't know Tatsumi" Mine suddenly spoke.

"Ten in a row has never been done before; do you think I can do it? I'm starting to get a bit nervous". The sarcasm in Mine's voice was every bit as tangible as the woman's had been earlier.

"Alright, alright stop" the woman behind the counter blurted out in an irritated voice and then continued impatiently. "Are you gonna take that last shot or what"?

"Of course I am," Mine said sweetly "I can't wait to see what shirt you pick out".

Raising the gun with only one hand, Mine set her aim then turned her head toward the woman. With a smile and a wink she pulled the trigger.

Setting the gun down Mine walked over to the woman and placed her hands on the counter; the loud cheers of amazement from her young audience telling her all she needed to know about the condition of the target.

"Now then, let's talk about my prizes" she stated in a playful voice.

The woman just smiled in defeat and shrugged.

"Alright, you won fair and square. Let's pick out your regular prize first then we can discuss the details for your 'special bonus'".

"About that special bonus…" Mine turned and looked at the kids who were still going on about her accomplishment. "How about you let the kids here each pick out a little trinket for themselves and we'll call it square".

The woman looked thoughtfully at Mine.

"Yeah, I can do that. Are you sure though? I'm about to completely cover up my massive lumps of fat and admit that your little perkies are far superior my big tackies".

Mine laughed at the partial quote.

"Yeah I'm sure. It'll give the kiddies something to remember me by".

"Okay then, hey kids…" The woman called out and explained the situation to the children. Amidst many excited cheers of thank you, the kids each picked out a prize and immediately started playing with it.

"You know…" the woman started while walking back towards Mine. "I think I owe you an apology. I may have misjudged you".

"Come again"? Mine sounded somewhat skeptical.

The woman smiled and admitted

"When you and your boyfriend first approached the booth, I assumed that you'd be just like every other empty headed, spoiled, self-centered, prissy girly girl I have to deal with on a regular basis. I believe I may have been wrong".

When the woman called Tatsumi Mine's "boyfriend", Mine blushed and started fidgeting her index fingers. When she spoke her voice sounded an octave higher and was a little faster than normal.

"Tee hee…well we all make mistakes, all is forgiven, so, about my prize"? Mine was obviously a bit shaken.

The woman gave Mine a funny sideways look as she walked toward the shelf that Mine had inquired about before.

As Mine was picking out her prize, Tatsumi looked over at the group of children who were playing happily with their new toys. Thinking about the conversation Mine and the woman just had, Tatsumi couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. He may have misjudged her as well.

The only time Tatsumi had seen Mine interact with a child was way back on the first day they had trained together. A couple of bullies had cornered some little girl in an ally way and Mine and he had come to her rescue. When the girl tried to thank Mine she had abruptly interrupted her and told her to become stronger so she could defend herself.

At the time, Tatsumi had understood where Mine was coming from, but he didn't like the way she had treated the little girl. He realized that he had just assumed that that was the way Mine treated children and never put anymore thought into it. An apology when the moment was right was definitely in order.

Tatsumi started to ponder what kind of situation would constitute 'when the moment was right'. As he thought about this, his mind started to wander away from finding the right moment to fantasizing about how that moment would go. Images of him sounding cool and Mine overzealously showing her appreciation for his understanding of her feelings danced in his head…

"Why do you have that creepy smile on your face Tatsumi"? Mine's voice shattered through his mental utopia.

Blinking a few times to take in his surroundings Tatsumi saw that Mine was standing right in front of him, staring into his face, looking perplexed.

"What were you just thinking about, you looked totally out of touch with reality"? Mine looked suspicious.

Narrowing her eyes, she glanced in the direction of the shooting booth lady then glared back at him viciously.

"You were thinking about something perverted weren't you"! Her voice was both angry sounding and accusational.

"N-no! I was…umm. I was thinking about…stuff". Tatsumi grimaced on the inside; 'stuff' obviously wasn't going to fly.

Having his fantasy interrupted was making it hard enough to focus , but he was also feeling embarrassed _because_ of what he had been thinking about. His ability to come up with any kind of convincing excuse was flat out non-existent.

"Stuff"?! Mine raised one eyebrow. "You were thinking about…stuff? What kind of…stuff"?

Tatsumi stammered a few times trying to come up with anything resembling a feasible answer, but failed. Holding her hands behind her back and tapping her foot, Mine was obviously getting impatient waiting for his answer. Hanging his head and sighing, he decided to just tell her what he had been thinking about even though this was nothing like the 'right moment' he had been envisioning.

"Honestly Mine, I was thinking about how nice you just were to those kids and I realized that I had misjudged you. So I was trying to figure out the best way to apologize for that. That's what I was thinking about". Tatsumi was satisfied with that answer, it was _mostly_ the truth, he just left off the embarrassing fantasy at the end.

"Oh". Mine said in a neutral tone.

Tatsumi couldn't tell if she believed him or not. Staring back and forth at each of his eyes, she looked somewhat stumped.

"You don't seem to be lying" Her eyes then tightened. "But if that was all you were thinking about, why did you have the same lecherous look on your face Lubbok makes when he talks about watching Leone in the bath"?

"Ah ha ah ". Tatsumi chuckled nervously, thinking about the direction his fantasy had been heading.

"About that…I don't really know how to answer that". He then noticed that Mine still had her hands behind her back, in fact, she had had her hands behind her back this whole time.

"Are you hiding something behind you Mine"? He asked quickly, trying to change the subject.

Mine's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Yes I am actually, the prize I picked out! I'm going to give it to you as a present"! Her voice sounded almost bubbly and she seemed to immediately forget about the conversation they were just having.

Taking her arms out from behind her back, she had in her hands a toy rifle.

"Here you go"! She cried cheerfully handing the gun to him.

Looking the gun over Tatsumi could see it was a high quality toy. The barrel and trigger area was made out of black metal and the stock was polished and stained wood. At the end of the barrel, a thin chain was attached to it running from the barrel to a cork that was plugging the barrels end. Whoever had made this had put a lot of time and effort in to it.

Tatsumi smiled. "Thanks Mine, this is nice. I'm curious though, what made you pick a toy gun? Is there some kind of meaning behind it"?

"Yep, there sure is". Mine had her hands on her hips and a mischievous smirk on her face.

Tatsumi suddenly got the feeling was about to become the butt of some joke.

"After watching that pathetic shooting display you put on I decided you needed practice! So I got you a gun that was right at your skill level"! Mine burst out laughing.

Tatsumi just looked at the laughing Mine with a blank stare. Changing his focus down to the gun he got an idea and smiled.

"You're right Mine, I definitely need to practice". His voice was thick with sarcasm.

"Yeah you do, that was terrible"! Mine cackled.

So caught up in her laughter, she failed to notice Tatsumi's sarcasm or him slowly raising the gun and aiming it at her forehead. Pulling the trigger, the cork shot out of the gun with a loud 'pop' and slammed into Mine's forehead dead center, immediately silencing her laugh and snapping her head back simultaneously.

Placing both hands over the wound, Mine had an absolutely stunned look on her face.

"Ouch, that hurt Tatsumi"! She yelled.

Glancing down at the gun, he chuckled.

"Well look at that, it already seems to be working. Great idea thanks a lot"!

Mine started sputtering and her face began to shift to an angry crimson.

"T-T-Tatsumiiiii"! Grinding his name through her teeth, she extended both hands towards his throat, murderous intent in her eyes.

Tatsumi knew that he should be feeling at least a little afraid right now; Knowing Mine, she very well may try to choke him. However, for some reason he didn't. Rather, seeing the intensity in her eyes, the trembling of her lower lip and the flaring of her nostrils, all he could think about was how lovely she looked.

As if sensing something with him was off, Mine's hands stalled their deadly advance. Giving him a queer look she snarled.

"WHAT"?!

Sighing, Tatsumi began to scratch his cheek.

"Nothing really it's just…" He realized he'd never complimented the way she looked before which made him feel a little apprehensive.

"…I'm pretty sure only you could be this mad and still manage to look that cute at the same time".

Mine's eyes widened and then fell to the ground as her cheeks turned bright red. After a brief moment of silence, she started sputtering again and looked up at him angrily.

"P-PERVERT"!

"Pervert? Wait, what!?" Tatsumi wasn't sure if he had heard her correctly.

"I saw that lewd look in your eyes just now. Y-you were thinking indecent things about me, weren't you"!?

Tatsumi was stunned.

"What the hell are you talking about!? All I said was that you looked cute"!

"Yeah, that's what you _said_ , but your eyes were telling a different story! Ugh…perverts like you and Lubb make me sick"!

Turning her back to him she crossed her arms and harrumphed loudly.

Tatsumi pressed his fingers to his temples in shock. Did she really just say that!? The _nerve_ of this woman! He had tried to compliment her and all she does is accuse him of being a pervert!

"You know what Mine!? You…I…W-whatever! Just…just…believe what you want"! He was so mad he couldn't even think straight.

Turning abruptly he started to storm off in a random direction. He only made in one step though before he felt something grab his sleeve. Turning back around, Mine was standing there grasping his arm tightly, head down so her bangs were hiding her eyes.

"So, do you…" She began, then blushing heavily, released his sleeve and started fidgeting her fingers. "…Do you really…you know…think I'm…c-c-cute"? She seemed to struggle with the word 'cute' which caused her to blush even deeper.

Tatsumi wanted to stay mad. He wanted to pout and continue to be offended by the way she had just treated him. Looking down at her though, he just couldn't, all he could do was smile.

Mine stopped fidgeting her fingers and looked up at him shyly, waiting for a reply. When none came quickly enough, she sniffed disdainfully, turned her head to the side and in a proud voice stated.

"Not that I care one way or the other mind you, I just…you know…since you brought it up, I figured I'd ask".

Feeling emboldened by Mine's obvious interest in his opinion, Tatsumi's grin broadened.

"Well, yeah…I guess I think you're cute-".

"You guess"!? Mine interrupted angrily, instantly going on the defensive. "What do you mean 'you guess'"!?

Holding his hands up defensively he chuckled.

"Hold on now, let me finish"!

Mine's eyes narrowed, but she seemed to relax a bit.

"It's not that I don't think you're cute, it's just cute isn't really the word I would use to describe you".

Mine folded her arms across her chest and cocked her head slightly.

"Oh yeah, well then what word would you use… _Tatsumi_ ". It was apparent that Mine was getting impatient and she was now staring at him with a surprising fervor.

Tatsumi had known she was going to ask that, in fact he had been counting on it. Yet for some reason, now that he was being faced with _that_ question, and under assault by _those_ eyes, his confidence scattered like dust in the wind.

"Well, uh…I would use…You know…"

Although stammering, he knew very well what words he would use to describe Mine. Unfortunately, he had completely lost his nerve and was too scared to say any of them.

"No, I don't know Tatsumi! How about you use your big boy words and enlighten me"!? Mine arched an eyebrow and started tapping an index finger on her crossed arms.

"Well I…" He stuttered awkwardly.

"Yes"? Mine leaned forward, all traces of impatience gone replaced by absolute interest.

"I would use…"

"Go on"! She brought her clenched fists up before her and started biting on her lower lip.

"I think you're…Uh…I think…"

" _Cooommmee on Tatsumiiiiii_ "! She seemed almost frantic now.

"I…Uh…I…Eh…" He just couldn't find his voice.

"Oh for crying out loud would you just spit it out"! Mine suddenly exploded.

Surprised by Mine's sudden outburst, Tatsumi finally broke and all his tension and discomfort came flooding out at once. Lowering his head and squeezing his eyes shut he yelled.

"Damn it Mine why do I need to spit it out!? You look in the mirror every day; you know very well how beautiful you are"!

Tatsumi didn't open is eyes right away for fear of what he may see. But when Mine remained silent he slowly peered in her direction. Standing there with a light flush on her cheeks, she was just looking at him with a silly half smile.

When their eyes met she lowered her gaze shyly and moved her hands behind her back.

"Beautiful huh"? Mine started tracing a half circle pattern on the ground with her foot and continued in a soft voice.

"You know…You're the first guy to ever say that to me".

"Really? That's hard to believe". He was genuinely surprised to hear that.

Lifting her head, Mine looked back up at him and smiled disarmingly. Her eyes were alight with the same warmth he had seen earlier in the evening. Once again its presence caused his heart to flutter.

"Yeah, really" The smile on Mine's face faded and she reached out and brushed her fingers across his forehead. "Thanks Tatsumi".

The flutter in Tatsumi's heart intensified dramatically. Mine's eyes had taken on an almost hypnotic ambiance and he could feel himself being drawn in by them. Resting her hand on his cheek, she tilted her head slightly and moistened her lips. Holding his gaze for just a moment longer, her mouth opened slightly and she leaned her head in toward his.

Completely entranced, he responded without thought, lowering his head toward hers as he slowly slipped his arms around her waist. As their faces neared, their noses touched stopping the advance. Tatsumi looked into Mine's eye's one last time as if to make sure she was okay with what was the inevitable outcome. His answer was two beautiful magenta eyes brimming with both acceptance and desire.

Swallowing in anticipation, Tatsumi moved to close the final gap between them as Mine slid her hand to the nape of his neck. Just as their lips were about to meet, loud music blasted through the air and the sounds of cheering erupted around them.

Startled, Tatsumi immediately pulled back as Mine did the same. Looking around he then smiled sheepishly at her and started to silently scratch his cheek, unsure of what to say. Returning his embarrassed smile, Mine grabbed ahold of his arm and leaned her head against his shoulder, also remaining quiet.

Another blast of music filled the air accompanied by more cheers from the people around them. Tatsumi looked down at Mine and grinned. Her whole face was now lit up and her eyes were literally twinkling with excitement. Looking around at their environment, Mine burst out laughing and started tugging him toward the dance area.

"Come on Tatusmi, let's go, lets' go"!

Shaking his head, he relinquished control and happily let Mine lead him wherever she wanted.

Although pleased with how happy Mine looked, Tatsumi could not help but feel a bit nervous. The street dance that Mine had been looking forward to all day, had finally begun.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Hey, Tatsumi it's your turn. Is there anything you would like to share"?

Tatsumi heard Leone's voice, but it took a moment for the meaning to register. Blinking, the looked around at his comrades. The atmosphere had lightened considerably and the rain was little more than a mist now.

"Oh…umm…Yeah of course I do, I just…haven't quite figured out exactly how to say it. Is everyone else finished"?

Surprisingly the boss spoke up. "I actually have a memory I would like to share".

"Really!? Wow boss, you didn't even share a personal story at Lubbock's funeral. Mine must have really been special to you". Leone's voice sounded surprised, but there was a teasing undertone to it.

"It shouldn't be that much of a surprise Leone, we did both use Pumpkin. In fact, the story I want to share involves how Mine ended up with Pumpkin." While the boss spoke, she once again was giving Tatsumi that piercing gaze that felt like she was looking right into his soul.

"I would very much like to hear that story boss" Akame sounded genuinely intrigued.

Looking at Akame, Najenda smiled. "Good, it's a funny one".

As the boss began telling her memory of Mine, her voice faded into the background and Tatsumi retracted deeply back into his own mind.

After the boss was finished speaking, it would be his turn, no one else was left. Unfortunately, Tatsumi still had no idea what he wanted to say. Should he talk about their relationship or his feelings for her? Officially, they had never told anyone about 'them'; they had planned on keeping it a secret until the revolution was over. (Though Tatsumi suspected that the boss knew, nothing ever got by her.)

Tatsumi's cluelessness about what to say was making him panicky. He knew it shouldn't matter, but it was really important to him that whatever he ended up saying was… _meaningful_. He cherished Mine and the memories they had made, he didn't want to tarnish this final moment 'together' with her by saying something dumb or childish. His words needed to be perfect.

Continuing to stress, Tatsumi let his mind drift back to that night, hoping that some part of that memory would help inspire the 'perfect' words that he so desperately wanted to find…

...

The atmosphere of the street dance was almost perfect. The rectangular plaza it was being held in had a large, central, marble fountain adorned with a robed angel, wings spread wide, head bowed and hands clutched at its chest in prayer. From the tips of the angel's wings, numerous ropes with multi-colored lanterns attached were leading off to other buildings, creating a semi-spider web effect above the dance area. Bright polychromatic streamers and tassels were also hanging everywhere, making everything look jovial and bright.

People of all ages were in attendance. From small children dancing together in groups laughing with innocence and glee, to statuesque elderly couples, whose love had overcome countless challenges, smiling warmly as they slowly danced arm in arm.

Yes, the atmosphere was _almost_ perfect. Standing next to Mine, Tatsumi quietly watched as she swayed rhythmically to the music, smiled happily at all the people enjoying themselves, _and_ continued to give him the cold shoulder. Looking over at him and seeing that he was watching her, she promptly turned her nose to the air with a * _fwip_ * and an angry sounding "humph!"

Tatsumi sighed deeply and looked sullenly down at his feet. Try as he might, he just couldn't figure out what he had done to upset her so much. Going over recent events in his head one more time, he drew another blank, so he decided to once again try to talk to her about it.

"Mine, please tell me what you're upset about, I just don't understand. I said I am willing to dance with you if you really want me too." The lack of dancing was the only thing he could think of to be causing the problem.

Mine's little body noticeably tensed up and she balled her hands into fists. Seeing that what he said had upset her more, Tatsumi went back to sulking in silence. Mine had been looking forward to this dance all day and now that it was here she wasn't having any fun at all. Unsure of what else he could do, Tatsumi thought he would try a different approach.

"Look, if you don't want to dance with me, there are a lot of guys our age here…"

"JUST SHUT UP TATSUMI"! Mine suddenly exploded.

The look on her face was acidic. Her lips had curled into a savage looking snarl and her complexion was a deep, angry red. Tatsumi could see that her whole body was shaking and her irate looking eyes had tears building up in the corners.

"How? How can you be so…STUPID"?! She almost shrieked the last word.

Completely taken off guard, Tatsumi fell back a step. People around them where whispering uncomfortably and giving them sideways glances, while others were openly staring with smirks on their faces.

"Mine…people are staring; you're making a scene, please calm down!" Tatsumi whispered frantically.

"C-c-calm down…CALM DOWN"! Mines voice went up an octave and Tatsumi could see the crazy enter her eyes. Too late he remembered a lesson one of his hometown village elders had taught him when he was young. _Never_ tell an enraged woman to calm down. Looking at Mine right now, it was obvious he was right.

Mine brought her hands up in front of her face and squeezed them and her eyes tightly shut. Taking a deep breath, she slowly opened them both and leveled a frigid glare at him. When she spoke her voice was terrifyingly calm.

"Tatsumi, unless you want to see me make a _real_ scene, you need to go get me something to drink…now"! Mine's bearing left absolutely no room for discussion.

Deciding it was in his best interests to remain silent and do as he was told; Tatsumi turned abruptly without saying a word and went to go find Mine something to drink. While he walked away though, he thought he saw Mine bury her face in her hands as she turned her back toward him.

Tatsumi wasn't sure if he had ever been this confused or frustrated. Less than an hour ago they had almost kissed for the first time. He was ecstatic, Mine seemed really happy, the evening was pretty much perfect, then…everything changed.

Picturing the way she had just looked at him, a dull ache started to throb in his chest. Mine had been mad at him plenty of times in the past, it hadn't ever really bothered him, but this last outburst was different. That was pure, unadulterated anger, and it…hurt. Why was she so furious with him? All he was trying to do was give her what he thought she wanted! Shaking his head in bewilderment he tried to find a booth that sold drinks.

Eventually finding one, he purchased some drinks and headed back to find Mine. Even though he knew the odds were slim, he hoped that she had calmed down a little while he was gone. Upon reaching her, he discovered she was not alone.

Standing with Mine was an elderly looking man and woman. The elder woman seemed to be quietly listening to the old man as he gesticulated wildly while speaking to Mine. As Tatsumi neared the trio, he could hear Mine laughing, the enjoyable sound causing a faint spark of hope to flare up; perhaps he could now get this night back on track.

Seeing him approach though, Mine immediately stopped laughing and her smile turned to a scowl, completely dousing the hope he had just kindled. The elderly couple looked up at Tatsumi and smiled.

"Well hello there Tatsumi, I see you found some beverages". The old man said enthusiastically. Hearing someone he didn't know call him by name made Tatsumi feel strange.

"Stop talking to him like you know each other, it's rude you idiot"! The old woman snapped and glared at the old man.

"Of course dear, I'm sorry". The old man had a cheeky smile on his face as he looked at the old woman with adoration in his eyes.

Tatsumi briefly examined the old couple. The man had thinning, wild looking black hair with a fair amount of gray woven into its medium to short length. His pale blue eyes, despite his aged appearance, were still full of life. The woman had long wavy, white hair that went down to her lower back and soft pink eyes. Looking closer, Tatsumi noticed that her hair also had a few faded streaks of pink in it, revealing what its original color was. Her petite body was almost identical to Mine's.

Looking at her overall stature and appearance, Tatsumi realized he was getting a glimpse at what Mine could look like in 50 years.

"Just what do you think you are looking at young man"?! The old woman suddenly asked him, folding her arms across her chest and arching one eyebrow.

Tatsumi, realizing that he had just looked her body over from head to toe, felt his cheeks start to burn. glancing over at Mine, she was shaking her head, glaring at him with a look of disgust painted on her face.

"N-nothing ma'am, I'm sorry I was just… thinking" Tatsumi replied weakly.

"You were just 'thinking' while staring at my body"?! The woman asked incredulously.

Tatsumi's whole face started to burn. Suddenly all he wanted to do was find a hole to crawl into so he could die. He was pretty sure this was the most awkward he had ever felt.

"I'm s-sorry ma'am, that's not…" Tatsumi started to reply but he was interrupted by the old man.

"Leave the poor lad alone dear. He was obviously not doing what you are implying. In fact, I'm sure he was just drawing comparisons between you and his stunning girlfriend here". The old man's tone was completely light and carefree.

Although thankful for the defense, Tatsumi couldn't help but feel uneasy with the flirtatious note the old man had used when calling Mine his 'stunning girlfriend'.

The old woman's eyes hardened. "That's funny…I don't recall asking for your opinion on this matter". She shot an icy look at the old man.

Ignoring the look, the old man just smiled and laughed. Turning toward Mine, he extended his hand and bowed elegantly.

"So…how about that dance little lady? Decide quickly though before my loving wife decides to send me to bed early without supper". The old man's voice was dripping with playful sarcasm.

Mine looked at Tatsumi out of the corner of her eye, hesitating for a moment. She then smiled at the old man and took his offered hand.

"Of course sir, please take care of me". Mine nodded her head and did a partial curtsy. Smiling back, the old man led her out to an open place on the dance floor.

Watching them dance, Tatsumi could see Mine smiling and laughing with the old man. He tried to convince himself that he was happy to see that, but he couldn't, it was a lie. In truth, he was angry, heartbroken and _incredibly_ jealous. _He_ wanted to be the one out there dancing with Mine. _He_ wanted to be the one making her laugh and smile. Instead though, he was standing here with some cranky old hag, holding two drinks, stewing in his envy.

The old woman then started to chuckle.

"You haven't the foggiest idea why she is mad at you, do you"? Tatsumi swore he detected a hint of mockery in her voice.

Deciding it was none of her business, Tatsumi ignored her question. Instead, he stared intently into his drink cup, studying the fascinating…liquid. Peering over at the old woman, she was just staring at him with an expectant expression on her face. Grimacing, he looked back down into his cup, and for the umpteenth time started to rehash the night's most recent events.

Once again, however, he could not find any answers. Glancing back at Mine and the old man, he saw that she was watching him, a forlorn look on her face. As soon as he made eye contact though, she glared at him and turned her nose in the air, snubbing him.

Tatsumi's frustration finally reached a breaking point and he slammed both drinks into the ground, shattering the cups and sending broken ceramic and liquid spraying in all directions. Fortunately, there wasn't really anyone close enough to him to be affected by the blast, so all he received were a few inquisitive and dirty looks.

Now feeling embarrassed in addition to confused and frustrated, Tatsumi put his hand over his mouth to help contain the scream that wanted to come out. Taking deep breaths, he tried to fortify his emotional stability that was obviously very low.

"I understand that you are upset young man, but I assure you, getting angry is not going to help in this situation". It was the old woman's voice, but this time, Tatsumi detected a hint of compassion within it.

Turning, he was surprised to see that she had moved to stand right next to him. Reaching up, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and smiled softly at him. Her aged pink eyes firm but understanding.

"I know it's hard, but it is crucial that you keep it together". There was a definite kindness in her voice that wasn't there before.

Seeing the understanding in her eyes and hearing the kindness in her voice, what was left of Tatsumi's emotional control evaporated. Having reached his limit, his confusion and frustration started to build in the corner of his eyes and run down his cheek. In a hitching, almost desperate voice he blurted out an answer to her original question.

"No, I don't! I have absolutely no idea why she is so mad at me! Do you know why she is mad at me? If so, please help…I can't take it anymore"!

Tatsumi knew he looked pathetic right now, he knew he was making a scene and people were probably staring at him, but he didn't care. The only thing that mattered right now was finding a way to fix things with Mine so they could enjoy the rest of the evening.

The old woman's understanding look changed to strong distaste.

"Did you hear what I just said? You need to keep it together not fall apart"! Folding her arms across her chest she looked him directly in the eyes.

"I refuse to help a crybaby. If you want my help then you need to pull yourself together and act like a man, not a child"!

The woman's words sounded harsh, but Tatsumi could see that she wasn't being malicious. In fact, the way she looked right now reminded him of the way his mother looked when he was in need of some 'tough love'. Smiling nostalgically, Tatsumi wiped the tears from his eyes and tried to focus on calming down.

Sneaking another look over at Mine, she quickly jerked her head away in an attempt to hide the fact that she had been watching him again. Tatsumi's smile deepened, her response had been fast, but not fast enough. The unmistakable look of concern on her face had not gone unnoticed. Feeling a bit more at ease, he turned back to the old woman.

"Okay, I think I have it together now, sorry". He smiled humbly.

"Good, I can't stand it when young men act like whinny, crybabies". The old woman smoothed the front of her dress firmly then gave Tatsumi an amused look.

"So, you would like to know why your girlfriend is mad at you, correct"?

Despite her recent showing of compassion, the expression on the old lady's face irked Tatsumi. He had no idea who she was, or how she seemed to know what was going one between him and Mine, so seeing her seeming to find some perverse pleasure in his misery was bothersome. However, he was feeling pretty desperate, so if there was any chance that this old lady could help fix his evening, he was willing to endure.

"Yeah, that would be great". Tatsumi tried to keep his voice level.

"Well, to put it bluntly, she is mad at you because you're an idiot".

Tatsumi didn't see any sarcasm in her face as she said this, she was serious. Putting forth more effort to keep his voice neutral despite his growing irritation he responded.

"Yeah, I gathered that already. The problem is I don't know _how_ I am an idiot".

The old woman chuckled again and sighed.

"Ah, you remind me of my husband when he was around your age. He was a complete idiot also."

Turning toward Mine and her husband, the old woman's face softened. Tatsumi could see the same look of adoration in her eyes that her husband had earlier.

"Tell me, young man, when you asked your girlfriend to dance, what did you say, do you remember"? Looking back at him, the old woman gave him a strong and steady gaze.

Thinking about her question, Tatsumi realized that he hadn't really asked Mine to dance. In light of their conversation earlier in the day when Mine had discovered the flyer, he had just stated that he would if she wanted too. A sense of uneasiness started to seep into his chest.

"I didn't officially ask her to dance, I told her that I was willing to dance with her if she really wanted me too" Saying that out loud to another person, Tatsumi realized how dumb it sounded.

"You're _willing_ to dance with her, but _only_ if she _really_ wants you too huh"? The old woman's voice had a ribbon of sarcasm running through it. "My oh my… how generous of you".

Listening to the way the old lady repeated what he had said to Mine was almost physically painful. He couldn't believe that he hadn't figured this out on his own. Remorse flooded his mind.

Lost in his own guiltily thoughts, he was surprised when he felt a small hand on his shoulder. The old woman was looking up at him smiling warmly.

"Well look at that…" Her voice was soft and kindly. "You figured it out all on your own".

"Yeah, I think so. I made her feel like I didn't really want to dance with her huh? Or that dancing with her was somehow a burden"?

Patting him on the head the old woman had a proud look on her face.

"Well done young man"!

Her face suddenly shifted to irritation and she glared at her husband and Mine.

"I had to actually spell it out for my idiot husband when we were in a similar situation many years ago".

Looking back at Tatsumi her expression changed to the proud look she wore a moment ago.

"So now that you understand the problem, how are you going to fix it"?

Tatsumi had already been thinking about that and was feeling troubled because he wasn't sure.

"I don't know, the simple answer is to just ask her to dance, but, knowing Mine, it won't be that easy". Tatsumi started scratching at his cheek as he pondered what he should do.

"Would you like to know why my husband and I are here helping you, young man"? The old woman suddenly asked.

"Actually, I had wondered that a bit earlier, so, yeah I would like to know". Tatsumi wasn't sure how that related to the current issue, but it couldn't hurt to know.

"Well, my husband spotted you two earlier today. After watching how you related to each other he felt that he had found a couple of kindred spirits, and he really wanted to meet you guys. So, as we enjoyed the festival today, we kind of kept tabs on you two, waiting. When we noticed that you had started fighting, it seemed like a good opportunity."

"So…What you are saying is that you and your husband stalked us today"? Tatsumi asked teasingly.

"When you get to be our age it's not called stalking anymore. It's called being nosy, and it's every senior's heavenly granted right"! The old woman smiled warmly at Tatsumi.

"So, how does this help me figure out what I should do about Mine"? Tatsumi knew there had to be a point to her telling him this.

"Well young man, if we are indeed kindred spirits like my husband thinks, then that would mean that your girlfriend is probably pretty strong willed and confident, maybe even a bit bossy or… pushy. She may even be a tad bit… spoiled or…difficult at times".

The old woman then gave Tatsumi a somewhat sympathetic look and smiled, almost apologetically. Figuring out where she was going with this, he couldn't help but smile back.

"As a fellow, strong willed woman, I feel I can tell you with confidence, that most of the time, the simple answer, _is_ indeed the right one. You see young man, just because ladies like us constantly take charge, doesn't mean we always _want_ to be in charge".

Turning her gaze back toward her husband and Mine the old lady smiled fondly. When she spoke again her voice was softer and sounded full of love.

"Every once in a while, it's important for our man to take control. To take us by the hand and tell us what we are doing. I'm not entirely sure why that is, but it is a fact".

Giving Tatsumi a sideways glance, she then quickly stated in a matter of fact voice. "I wouldn't get into the habit of doing it too often though if I were you".

Tatsumi understood what she was saying, but he was still feeling a bit tormented on what he should do.

"You're still looking a bit indecisive Tatsumi, are you okay"?

Surprised at her first use of his name, he looked up quickly and then sighed.

"Yeah I'm ok, It's just…I don't know…I feel…" Tatsumi could tell his cheeks were reddening a bit as he tried to express how he felt.

"This is probably going to sound stupid to you, but I just feel…"

"Scared"? The old woman interjected.

Looking somewhat embarrassed, Tatsumi just lowered his eyes and nodded his head. It was true, he was scarred. Scarred of messing up and angering her, or upsetting her, or hurting her again; scared of her rejecting him. He had never really felt like this about someone before so all of these fears and feelings were new, and he wasn't sure how to handle them.

"That fear is normal Tatsumi, so don't worry about it. What's important is not that you are afraid, it's how you respond to the fear".

The old woman looked down then, appearing to be lost in thought for a moment. When she looked back up she had a serious expression on her face.

"I have one more piece of advice for you if you like".

Feeling the seriousness she was exuding, Tatsumi eagerly nodded his head. Smiling faintly at his enthusiastic nod, the old woman looked back over at her husband, when she spoke her voice sounded withdrawn.

"I've been alive a long time Tatsumi, and in my life, I have seen and learned many things I wish I had known when I was younger. To me, one of the biggest things I have learned is the importance of memories".

Turning back toward Tatsumi, the old woman had a somber smile on her face.

"When you get to be my age and you look back on your life, the memories you make are going to stand out more than any possession you have. Eventually, you will reach a point where your memories are really all you have left. Those memories are the difference between having a successful or unsuccessful life, a life with meaning, or a life with none".

The old woman paused for a moment as if considering what to say next.

"So, when you have someone special in your life. Someone you care for, or someone you love, it's vital that you not squander any opportunities to create a fond memory with them. Because the cold hard truth to the world we live in is this. The precious gift of life, which so many of us take for granted…it can end at any time, without warning. Then, all of those squandered opportunities that could have been priceless memories, instead, turn into loathsome regrets. And trust me when I say, Tatsumi, regrets are a truly bitter medicine to swallow, especially when you are my age".

Thoughts of Sheele and Bro and Chelsea flooded over Tatsumi. The woman was right; life could end at any time, especially for them. The old woman stepped forward and placed herself directly in front of him and continued.

"I understand that young love can be dramatic and scary, that is normal. The final decision on how you handle things with Mine tonight is completely up to you. But before you make your choice, please ask yourself this question. Do you want to look back and remember the rest of this evening as a moment you regret…?"

Leaning forward, the old woman patted his cheek softly and whispered

"…or as a moment you _treasure_ "?

Reverting back to a normal posture, the old woman just stood there silently while Tatsumi tried to digest what he had just been told.

"Oh, one last thing Tatsumi, you don't need to be afraid". The old woman was wearing a sly expression.

"Why is that"? He responded curiously.

"Because Mine truly loves you, I could tell just from the brief contact I had with her. It was as obvious as the nose on my face. Just like I can tell you truly love her. So don't worry, just listen to your heart and do what you know is right. Everything will be fine, I know it.

Hearing the old woman tell him that Mine loved him, Tatsumi almost laughed out loud. That couldn't be true, could it? Although, she _was_ right about his feelings for Mine, so could she also be right about Mine's feelings for him…?

Tatsumi opened his mouth to speak, but no words would come out. So instead he just nodded his head and then turned to watch Mine. Thinking about everything the old woman had just told him, he felt very grateful.

Moments later, the song that Mine and the old man were dancing too ended. Bowing elegantly to Mine again, the old man took her hand and kissed it. The two then started to meander back toward the old lady and him.

As the old man's lips touched Mine's hand, the old woman growled. Glancing over, he saw that she had firmly crossed her arms across her chest and had an absolutely frozen look in her eyes. Taking in her look and posturing, Tatsumi could not help but draw eerie similarities between the way the old woman looked now and images of Mine from his memories.

A thought suddenly occurred to him.

"Ma'am, I just realized something. I don't know you or your husband's names".

"Oh my, I guess we did skip that part didn't we". The old woman actually looked a little embarrassed.

Looking up at him fondly she stated: "My friends call me Lou".

About that time Mine and the old man arrived. Tatsumi and Mine's eyes came together somewhat awkwardly for a moment, and then Mind blushed and looked down. Feeling his own cheeks warm up, Tatsumi didn't say anything but instead moved to stand next to her. Tentatively placing his hand on her back, he gently started to rub it. Still blushing, Mine looked up at him from the corners of her eyes and then leaned into him, putting one arm around his back and the other on his chest.

Tatsumi felt so relieved that his eyes started to tear up. Remembering however his and Lou's conversation, he smiled to himself sheepishly and forced himself to calm down. Looking over at Lou, she was looking at him and Mine with a satisfied smile on her face. Clapping his hands together loudly, Lou's husband suddenly spoke in a boisterous voice.

"So, did you two kids have fun while we were dancing"? Although he had noticed it before, Tatsumi was still surprised at the life in the old man's eyes.

Lou turned her head and glared at her husband then looked back at Tatsumi.

"Oh yeah, you asked about _his_ name as well." Lou's voice sounded irritable again.

The old man opened his mouth to speak, presumably to state his name; but was interrupted by Lou before any sound could pass his lips.

"Stray dogs don't have names. They are only called 'dog'" she growled.

"So, we are back to that are we, dearest"? The old man gave Mine a knowing look and a wink. Seeing the exchange, Lou's eyes narrowed.

"Well children, I believe this old fool and I have taken up enough of your time tonight" she snapped.

"Ah yes, I have been a bad dog so it is now my bedtime". The old man had a large smile on his face and a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Silence you!" Lou snapped again. Grabbing his arm she started to drag him away while muttering under her breath. After a few steps though, she stopped and turned back toward Tatsumi and Mine.

"I hope you two enjoy the rest of your evening. Good night". Nodding to them both, she let her gaze linger on Tatsumi for a brief moment, then she turned back to her husband.

He was standing there with his hand partially extended, palm up, inviting her to take it.

"Are you ready to go home my love"? He said tenderly.

"Don't you 'my love' me, you unfaithful dog"! She barked, then lowered her head and eyes and pouted her lower lip.

"I saw what you did to that pretty little lady's hand" To Tatsumi's surprise, her voice was as pouty as her lower lip.

Reaching out and taking one of her hands in both of his, he smiled.

"Alas, is my dearest feeling jealous and neglected"?

Putting her nose in the air, Lou responded in a mildly indignant voice.

"Perhaps…when was the last time you kissed my hand like that"?

Chuckling softly the old man brought Lou's hand to his lips and kissed it softly. Lou blushed and smiled briefly.

"Come on dearest, let's go home". The old man said quietly.

"I will decide when we go home, thank you very much"! Although trying to sound in control, Tatsumi could see that Lou was happy and had gotten what she wanted.

As the two walked away, their loving banter could be heard echoing above the sound of the crowd for quite some time.

With Lou and her husband gone, it was back to just being Tatsumi, Mine and…awkwardness.

"So… what was with that look that Lou's husband gave you"? Tatsumi asked, trying to sound casual but was obviously a bit forced.

"Yeah that…at the end of our dance he kissed my hand. Before he did though he told me that what he was about to do was going to irritate his wife. He then said that if I wanted to see something funny, to pay attention to her reaction when we got back". Mine also seemed to be trying to sound causal, but failed just as badly as he had.

"Oh, I see, so the look was just a 'told you so' kind of look"? He asked somewhat stiffly.

"Yep, pretty much". Mine's answer sounded a bit to rushed.

Feeling uncomfortable, Tatsumi decided he would remain silent until Mine said something to him, so he waited…

And waited…

And waited…

Finally sneaking a glance at Mine, he saw her raise her eyes toward him at the same time. As their eyes met they both looked away quickly. Tatsumi sighed and started to scratch at his cheek nervously. The silence was killing him.

Still scratching his cheek, he looked over at Mine again. She was fidgeting her fingers nervously. As before, she happened to look up at him at the same time. Once again they both looked away quickly, each dropping their nervous fidget.

Mine started to giggle lightly.

"Okay, this is ridiculous, we obviously need to talk". Her voice sounded more natural.

Tatsumi gave a sigh of relief and turned around; Mine was looking up at him with a cautious smile on her face.

"Yeah we do…" Tatsumi paused for a moment and then continued. "So, who starts…Ladies first"?

Mine scoffed. "Of course you'd be a gentleman now"!

"Okay fine" Tatsumi chuckled. "I'll go first".

Tatsumi meditated on what he wanted to say briefly then continued in a sincere tone.

"Mine, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel like I didn't want to dance with you or that dancing with you was somehow a burden to me. I'm just not very good at this kind of stuff…forgive me"? He sighed deeply as he finished.

Mine seemed startled as if she hadn't expected him to apologize and blushed.

"I suppose…" Mine then looked at him playfully and in a teasing tone continued." just don't let it happen again, got it"?

"Yeah, yeah whatever got it" Tatsumi shook his head and smiled back.

Hoping that she would now apologize to him, he waited expectantly. After a few seconds of silence though, he cleared his throat loudly.

"What?" Mine looked at him, puzzled.

"Don't you have something you want to say to me"?

"I already said it, I forgave you". Mine smiled innocently up at him.

"You're not going to apologize for blowing up on me"? Although phrased as a question, it was really more of a statement. Mine smirked up at him.

"Why in the world would I apologize to you for that, it was your fault"?! Closing her eyes and turning her head to the side she put her nose in the air and continued.

"Besides, superiors don't apologize to their subordinates, you should just be happy that I forgave you".

Tatsumi shook his head and looked at his feet. _Of course she wouldn't apologize, what was I thinking?_ he thought. Humbly admitting fault was not one of Mine's strong suits. He knew that, but he still couldn't help but feel a bit let down. Looking back at Mine, she was gazing up at him kindly.

"I'm teasing silly" Her voice was full of tenderness. "Of course I'm sorry for blowing up on you. I feel terrible about it".

Reaching up, Mine started to caress his cheek. She had done this a few times today, and Tatsumi realized that he _really_ liked it.

"However, there is something I need to tell you Tatsumi". Her caress then turned into a pinch, and her eyes and tone became more serious.

"You have _got_ to start being more assertive. You can't be so wishy-washy on days like today, you have to be decisive". Mine then looked down and started fidgeting her fingers again. When she continued her voice sounded a little nervous.

"Y-you don't have to be scarred Tatsumi…" She paused and started blushing furiously. "I-I k-know that you l-l-like me s-so…"

She didn't get to finish because she was interrupted by a loud *PFFFFFT* from Tatsumi. Looking up angrily, she clenched her fists and yelled.

"What's so funny"!

Tatsumi had his hands over his mouth, and was doing his best to stifle his laughter.

"I'm sorry Mine it's just…that was _so you_. Do you realize that you just lectured me for not being assertive enough and then in the same breath, confessed _my_ feelings for you… _for me_?

Mine put a finger in the air and opened her mouth to reply and then stopped. She looked like she thought about what he said and then blushed and closed her mouth abruptly.

"Just shut up Tatsumi"! Crossing her arms, she turned her head to the side and started pouting with one cheek puffed up.

Seeing her like this, Tatsumi was overcome with feelings of fondness. He tried to move his head in front of hers to make eye contact, but she stubbornly turned her head in the other direction. "nope" was all she said.

About that time, the current song ended and a new one started. Figuring now was as good a time as any, Tatsumi decided to ask her to dance.

"So, did you still want to dance Mine"?

Mine turned quickly toward him with a smile on her face and started to answer, but then stopped and her smile turned to a glare.

"You've got an awful lot of nerve country boy"! She then put one hand on her hip and put a finger in his face with the other. "Asking me to dance after making fun of me like that…Why would I want to dance with you now"?

Mine folded her arms across her chest again and put her nose in the air defiantly. Tatsumi was not deterred by her answer though, he expected her to say something like that. His mind recalled what Mine had just told him about being more assertive, and the words that Lou had told him:

 _…Every once in a while, it's important for our man to take control. To take us by the hand and tell us what we are doing…_

Thanking Lou in his mind, Tatsumi purposefully started to advance on Mine. As he approached, Mine started to look a little bashful.

"What"? She asked as she looked away and then looked back. "W-what do you want"?

Ignoring her questions, Tatsumi just smiled and kept getting closer to her. Mine started to blush and took a half step back.

"Quit it weirdo…what are you doing"? Mine's voice was shaky; she was obviously caught off guard by his sudden boldness.

Getting right next to her, Tatsumi paused, then reached down and took her by the hand. As he touched her, she inhaled sharply and looked up at him with a surprised expression. Smiling affectionately at her, he turned and, without saying a word, started to lead her on to the dance floor. Mine's response was comical.

"Hey…stop, I never said I would dance with you"! Her words were strong, but her tone was clearly halfhearted.

"Tatsumi...Stop pulling me around like a rag doll! Hey…are you listening to me? Q-quit it…Y-you're not the boss of me"!

Mine's physical resistance was just as weak as her verbal. All she did was lean back a little and, instead of walking, shuffle her feet like a small child being pulled by her parents against her will. Finding an open area on the dance floor, Tatsumi turned toward her and smiled silently.

Mine's eyebrows were in a definite V shape above her eyes and she had both cheeks puffed out while pouting profusely. Looking up at Tatsumi, she glared at him and whined quietly through her pouting lips.

"Geez Tatsumi, what's the big idea? Yanking me around like I'm some kid. Just who do you think you are"? Finishing her complaint, Mine looked down at the ground with a crestfallen expression.

"I'm just some dumb country boy who _really_ wants to dance with you". He said teasingly. "You did tell me to be more assertive right"?

Mine's expression relaxed and she gave him a coy, sideways smile. "I suppose I did".

Tatsumi knew what he wanted to do next, but he was a little nervous. Taking a deep breath he forged ahead. Letting go of Mine's hand, he took a step back and extended his, palm up, and did his very best to mimic the elegant bow he had seen Lou's husband do. Looking her in the eyes, he stated in the most formal voice he could muster.

"Mine, I would be truly honored if you would grace me with a dance".

At first, Mine just stared at him, seemingly dumbfounded or in disbelief of what she was seeing. Her entire body then seemed to soften and she brought the fingertips of both hands up to her mouth. Tatsumi could see that she was trembling, and tears had started to build up in her eyes. An adorable whimper like sound escaped from her lips and, blushing, she turned her head to the side and started to wave her hand in front of her face, as it to try to fan the tears away.

"Just…give me a moment". Mines voice was incredibly shaky and thick with emotion. "Don't move a muscle; I just…I just need a second to compose myself".

Taking a few deep breaths, Mine turned back to face him. Her eyes were sparkling like brilliant pink rubies and she had a smile on her lips that, though delicate, conveyed a warmth and beauty comparable to the first rays of sunlight at dawn.

Gently placing her hand in his, Mine nodded her head. Tatsumi started to rise so that they could dance, but her hand didn't move when he pulled. Looking at her somewhat surprised, she was smiling playfully at him.

"You're supposed to wait for me to answer dummy". She whispered affectionately.

"Oh right, sorry". Tatsumi grimaced, and, still holding her hand, returned to the bow he was doing before. As soon as he was set and looking at her again, she continued.

"I would be absolutely delighted good sir". Mine then grabbed the hem of her dress with her other hand and curtsied deeply. Gazing into his eyes, she finished her answer in a soft tone with a voice full of warmth. "I leave myself in your hands, please take care of me".

Smiling tenderly at each other they rose together hand in hand and finally began to dance.

Tatsumi didn't know how many songs they danced through, he didn't count, but he did know one thing, the dancing…went about how he thought it would. Toes were stepped on, bodies moving the same direction bumped into each other, and at one point, he nearly dropped Mine on her butt. To the casual outside observer, their dancing was an absolute disaster.

However, from Tatsumi's standpoint ( and judging by the look on Mine's face, her view as well) all the mistakes were irrelevant. He realized that the miscues, the other dancers, even the music…none of that mattered. As everything else faded into the background Tatsumi focused on the only thing that did matter…Mine.

Yes, to the outside observer, their dancing may have seemed like a complete mess. But to them…it could not have gone better.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Tatsumi began to resurface from his reminiscing, but his mind paused halfway through its retreat leaving him in a strange sort of mental fog. There were people around him, people he knew and cared about. One of them was speaking, but the words seemed unintelligible at the moment. Choosing to ignore the people around him, he continued to mentally drift through his own subconscious, his thoughts starting to hone in on memories of Mine again.

Like the proverbial moth self-destructively drawn toward the immaculate beauty of an intense flame, Tatsumi's mind kept ruminating over the same bittersweet memories of her. In an ever recycling downward spiral, his mind would draw upon a memory for relief, only to have that same memory, as it ended, push him closer to the brink of utter despair. So in response, his mind would recall another memory for relief…

Contemplating what Lou had told him about the importance of fond memories; Tatsumi couldn't help but feel somehow cheated. Those ever important memories that she claimed were so vital to collect, were indeed at times an asylum. However, that blade had two edges; they were also like icy daggers repeatedly stabbing him in the chest, piercing through both flesh and marrow, cutting him down to the very soul. He ravenously craved those fond memories…for comfort, but he also desperately _needed_ to stay away from those memories…for comfort.

Tatsumi could feel the tension from those contradictory realities tugging at the very fabric of his sanity. His mind was recoiling in horror at the absurd paradox that was the all-encompassing existence of his current mindset. To make things worse, fear of losing that sanity was starting to force its way into the fray, piling dry kindling on a firestorm already teetering on blazing out of control.

Yet somehow, despite the plethora of fears and contradictory emotions, Tatsumi also felt…numb. He didn't understand how that was possible. The only answer he could come up with was that he was broken. Mine's death, along with the circumstances surrounding it, had infiltrated into his mind, heart, and soul, rupturing something important; causing an unknown amount of damage.

Growing fatigued with thinking about how crazy he was becoming, he realized that he still had no idea what he was going to say when it was his turn to speak. Instantly anxiety jumped into the chaos that was his current emotional state, causing him to almost start laughing out loud. He was a complete mess right now, and he knew it. What seemed like just moments ago, he thought he had managed to gain a bit of stability and control, apparently, he had been wrong.

Tears of frustration started to build in his eyes. Never in his life had he felt so powerless and lacking in self-control. As a solitary tear spilled down his cheek, he brushed it away and then looked at the moisture on his hand. Anger at his weakness flared up and he clenched his fist tightly.

 _No…I REFUSE!_

Tatsumi knew he had virtually no control over the way he felt on the inside; however, he would not give in on the outside. He would honor Mine's final request and hold back the tears for as long as he could, even if it killed him.

The logical part of his brain knew very well that he was misinterpreting what Mine had said. However, the unstable, emotional part of his brain didn't care. It had found something that seemed tangible to obsess on, and it wasn't letting go, regardless of the consequences.

Unable to focus, Tatsumi decided to give up on thinking about what he wanted to say when it was his turn to speak. Instead, he allowed his mind to re-submerge itself into his sea of memories, continuing its voyage through the waters of his and Mine's night together at the festival.

...

Tatsumi had never felt happier. Gazing affectionately down at Mine, a soft smile touched his lips. She had her arms wrapped around his waist and was resting her head against his shoulder. Her eyes were closed, and if not for the slow, circular dance they were doing, or the occasional tightening of her embrace, he would have thought her asleep.

The soothing music playing in the background had a deep, spiritual quality to it. It's rich, almost haunting melody, created a tranquil ambiance, yet simultaneously, stirred your emotions. Taking in the harmony around him, Tatsumi sighed happily and rested his cheek on Mine's forehead.

"I don't want tonight to end". Mine suddenly said in a voice that was uncharacteristically somber.

"I know me either". Tatsumi felt the same.

"Ya know, for the first time that I can remember, I actually feel like… a normal girl". Mine stopped dancing and pulled her head back, looking Tatsumi in the eyes.

Her expression seemed torn. You could see the happiness on her smiling face, but in her eyes, there was a recognizable sadness.

"It feels really nice" she continued quietly. "I owe that all to you Tatsumi".

Her smile softened. It looked like she wanted to say more, but instead, blushed a little and lowered her head back onto his shoulder. Increasing the strength of her embrace, she started shifting her weight, signifying her desire to start dancing again. Resting his cheek on her head again, Tatsumi acquiesced to her silent request.

They danced together wordlessly for a while until, with her head still on Tatsumi's shoulder, Mine finally spoke.

"H-hey Tatsumi"? Her voice sounded shy.

"Yeah"?

"Earlier tonight, when we were at the shooting booth, you had a prize picked out for me, right"?

Tatsumi felt his cheeks get warm as he thought about the stuffed pink toy he had picked out for her. He wasn't sure why, but the thought of telling her about it was kind of embarrassing.

"I did". He braced for the inevitable next question.

"What was it"? Mine sounded just as embarrassed as he felt.

"I-it was a stuffed, pink, l-lady knight". Tatsumi's cheeks went from warm to hot as he spoke.

"A stuffed toy huh? Why did you choose that?" Mine's voice was a bit more stable as it rang with true curiosity.

Tatsumi winced as soon as the question left her mouth; he had been hoping she would be satisfied with just knowing what it was. Naturally though, she wasn't. Taking a moment to organize his thoughts, he took a deep breath and tried to explain his reasoning.

"Well, it just reminded me of you I guess. It was a little pink warrior which, you defiantly are…" His voice trailed off as he tried to figure out the best way to phrase the next part. When he continued, his face felt like it was on fire.

"…Also, it was a knight and knights…you know…they fight for a just cause. They defend the weak and make personal sacrifices for the many. They're brave and loyal, and do what they think is right…they're…heroes. At least, that's what the storybooks say about them."

As he finished his answer, Mine pulled her head back and stared up at him with wide eyes. She looked absolutely shocked.

"Tatsumi…Is that…is that _really_ the way you see me"!?

Smiling kindly, Tatsumi looked shyly down at his feet and responded in a warm tone.

"Of course it is Mine, I think you're amazing". He started scratching at his cheek nervously.

"You're…special to me…" Tatsumi paused, as he considered if he should continue on with what he wanted to say. Deciding that he wasn't going to get a better opportunity than now, he continued.

"I mean… like you already said…I-I like you…a lot".

Even though Mine had admitted his feelings for her earlier in the night, that was still one of the most difficult things he had ever told anyone. He sighed with relief as soon as he got it all out. Smiling weakly, he waited nervously for her reply.

Mine had a dazed look on her face. Looking down at her feet she said in a strained voice.

"Well, someone is just _full_ of surprises tonight"!

Raising her head back up, she glared at Tatsumi with glossy looking eyes then promptly turned her back to him and brought her hands up to toward her face.

"St-st-stupid"! Mine was clearly shaken "Saying those…those sweet things and then…then suddenly c-c-confessing like that without giving a girl warning! What's the big idea Tatsumi"?! Mine stamped her foot on the ground and from behind, it looked like she had gripped her upper arms as if to give herself a hug.

At that moment, there was a small part of Tatsumi's mind that _understood_. It _understood_ that Mine was not actually upset with him. It _understood_ that she was not rejecting his confession (quite the opposite actually). It _knew_ that he had just emotionally ambushed her and, in typical defensive fashion, she was just being…Mine.

Unfortunately, another (more dominant) part of his mind, did _not_ understand these things. What it did understand was that he had just confessed to a girl for the first time. It was also keenly aware that he was feeling incredibly vulnerable and insecure at that moment in time.

So, when Mine gave her less than graceful response to his words, Tatsumi reacted in the same way many other boys his age would…he panicked.

"OhGeezMineI'mSoSorrySoSorrySoSorryYou'reRightI'mIdiotIdiotIdiotIhaveNoIdeaWhatIWasThinkingIdiotIdiotSoSorry".

While continuing to vomit random gibberish out of his mouth, Tatsumi began to flail his hands back and forth rapidly in front of his body in a defensive manner. Beads of sweat had appeared on his forehead, and the look he had on his face could only be described as horrified.

So caught up in his self-induced seizure, he failed to notice that Mine had turned around to face him until her hand started to caress his cheek. Immediately halting his spastic behavior, he looked at Mine with surprise.

Mine had her head nodded slightly and she was gazing shyly up at him through the tops of her eyes. The demure smile on her face was adorably highlighted by the light blush on her cheeks. When she spoke, her voice sounded timid, yet unmistakably happy.

"Tatsumi, you have _nothing_ to apologize for, I was just… caught off guard". The meekness in Mine's expression faded, replaced with a deep adoration.

Seeing the raw emotion written all over Mines face, Tatsumi's coherency crumbled. He felt he needed to say something, but his mind was so muddled from the pressure her aura was giving off, piecing together a comprehensible thought was impossible. So instead, he just lowered his head and mumbled the first fleeting words that were willing to pass his lips.

"Yeah, but that doesn't' change the fact that I'm still an idiot". Tatsumi knew his admittance of idiocy didn't really make sense in light of what Mine had said, but he didn't care. Slumping his shoulders, all he knew was that, at that moment he felt like a complete and utter failure, incapable of doing anything right when it came to Mine.

Mine started to giggle causing him to raise his head and look at her. With a coy smile on her face, she said in a teasing voice.

"You're right, you are an idiot".

She then reached up and grabbed ahold of his jacket collar with both hands and stared ardently into his eyes.

"But that's okay…"

Pulling his head down, she placed her cheek against his and whispered softly into his ear.

"…Because you're officially _my_ idiot".

Slowly drawing her head back, she traced her nose lightly across his cheek until the tips of their noses were touching. After a brief pause, Mine tilted her head slightly, closed her eyes and gently pressed her delicate lips against his.

Tatsumi immediately felt something like an electrical charge, starting at the base of his neck, expand through his whole body. A pleasant shiver ran down his spine, his heart rate exploded and his knees became weak. An overwhelming sense of euphoria gripped his heart as he suddenly felt lighter than air.

The kiss didn't last very long, a few seconds at most. But for those few seconds, all reality outside he and Mine ceased to exist. Her blissfully soft lips dominated his sense of touch. Thundering in his ears, the only sound he could hear was the pounding of his own heart. And the pleasant scent of wild strawberries, which perpetually surrounded Mine, completely filled his sense of smell.

When their lips finally separated, Tatsumi's head started to swim, his entire body felt shaky and he realized that he was literally breathless. From the electrifying initial contact to the surprisingly intoxicating smacking sound created at its end, everything about the kiss was perfect.

Gazing down at Mine's beautiful visage, Tatsumi was shell-shocked. He had felt the warmth of a woman's lips against his before, and although the kisses had been stolen, they had not been unpleasant. However, there was absolutely no comparison between how those kisses had made him feel and the way he was feeling right now. Nothing could have prepared him for the effect that moment with Mine had on him

Blushing, Mine looked toward the ground and started to fidget her index fingers.

"Geez Tatsumi, do you really need to stare so hard? It's embarrassing".

Glancing back up at him shyly she continued in a concerned sounding voice.

"Tatsumi… that was my first kiss…" Her voice trailed off.

Still under the disjointing effects of Mine's lips, Tatsumi wasn't sure how to respond to what she had just said.

So with a dreamy smile adorning his face, he replied simply with "That's good".

Mine's face instantly twisted into a glare. Sighing deeply and rolling her eyes, her right fist shot out and slammed into his solar plexus.

*OOOFFF* Tatsumi's breath rushed out of his lungs and he doubled over slightly clutching his mid-section.

"What the hell was that for Mine"! He gasped.

" _'That's good'_!? I tell you that I just gave you my first kiss and all you can say is _'That's good'_ "!? Mine had a fist balled in front of her face and one eye was twitching.

Having had the blast he just received to his mid-section clear his impaired thinking ability, Tatsumi managed to get a grasp on the situation. Realizing his verbal gaff and seeing the angry and flustered look on Mine's face, all he could do was start to laugh. Mine folded her arms across her chest tightly and her face flushed an ugly crimson.

"What could you _possibly_ find funny right now"!? She snarled through teeth clenched tightly together.

Standing up straight, Tatsumi smiled affectionately at her.

"Well, I assume you're mad because I said something stupid, maybe making you feel like it wasn't that great of a kiss…"?

Mine's face softened a bit telling Tatsumi he had hit his mark.

"It's funny because…" Reaching out he placed a hand on her head and ruffled her hair. "The whole reason I messed up was _because_ of how incredible that kiss was. I couldn't think straight, I'm sorry".

The rest of the anger that had been on Mine's face fell away immediately. She started to smile but then blushed and switched to a pout with one cheek puffed up.

Lightly backhanding his palm off her head, she replied in a sullen voice. "You're such an idiot"!

Tatsumi nodded and replied in a playful tone. "True, I am an idiot, but that's okay, right? I mean, you said so yourself…I'm your idiot"!

A dour expression formed on Mine's face and she growled. "That's not the first time you've used my own words against me today. I'm not sure I appreciate this trend. Don't get cocky just because I'm ' _being sweet'_ , you're still my subordinate"!

Mine then closed her eyes, turned her head to the side and proudly put her nose in the air. She was obviously feeling a sense of satisfaction at successfully throwing his words from earlier in the day back in his face. Choosing to ignore her jab, Tatsumi decided to change the subject, there was something he really wanted to verify.

"So…Mine…"? He started in a somewhat careful voice.

"What"? Her tone sounded a bit peevish.

Tatsumi reached up and started to scratch the back of his head.

"I-I was just wondering, when you said that I'm 'officially your idiot'…"? He left the question open, unsure of how exactly to express what he was trying to ask.

Mine smiled softly at him and blushed momentarily. Clearing her throat loudly, she then placed her arms akimbo and put her nose back in the air.

"Yes Tatsumi, what that means is that I have decided to allow you the privilege of being my boyfriend…you should be grateful! She nodded her head emphatically.

Tatsumi just smiled and shook his head. Never could he have imagined that this was the way today would end up. He would have thought that he was dreaming, but his stomach still painfully remembered being punched just moments ago. This was real; Mine had just admitted out loud that she was willing to accept him as her boyfriend.

Starting to feel emotional, Tatsumi bit the inside of his lip and squeezed his eyes shut. Now was not the time to look weak or uncool. Taking a few deep, calming breaths, he reopened his eyes and tried his best to look at Mine confidently.

Ironically, the confidence that Mine had been showing when he closed his eyes (which he was trying to emulate), was non-existent when he reopened them. Instead, she now looked meek and vulnerable.

"Tatsumi…y-you are grateful…right"? Mine's voice sounded very uncertain.

Tatsumi looked blankly at her for a moment trying to figure out why she would even ask that. It then dawned on him that he still hadn't said anything since she had expressed her desire for them to officially be together.

 _Man…I really suck at this. I'm gonna end up giving her a complex._ He thought to himself.

Reaching out with one hand, Tatsumi placed his fingers under her chin, gently lifted her head and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Yeah…very grateful". He replied tenderly.

Mine sighed as a look of relief passed over her face. Slapping Tatsumi lightly on the upper arm she then complained.

"Man Tatsumi, you really suck at this. You're going to give me a complex".

Tatsumi couldn't help but laugh at Mine's apparent ability to read his mind.

"What's funny now"! She demanded.

Tatsumi smiled and patted her on the head again.

"You're right, I do suck at this. But I'm gonna get better, I promise".

Mine smiled and started to trace patterns on his chest with one of her index fingers.

"You know, while we are on the subject of you sucking at things…" Mine looked up at him with an overly innocent look on her face.

"That's what we got out of that conversation huh"? Tatsumi's tone was dry.

Ignoring his protest, Mine continued.

"All of this dancing has made me really thirsty. Sadly, I don't have anything to drink because _someone_ smashed my beverage onto the cobblestone. I didn't even get one sip of it". Mine's voice sounded wistful, but her eyes were twinkling with mischief.

Tatsumi grimaced and started to scratch at his cheek.

"Yeah well…I suppose we should probably fix that huh?

"I would appreciate that". Mine said playfully while gazing up at him with a smile.

Placing their arms around each other, they slowly started to make their way off of the dance floor in search of something to drink. As they reached the edge, Tatsumi paused and took one last look back at the area they had been dancing in. At their arrival they had been two souls recovering from a petty argument, searching out each other's feelings. But now, after a bow, a curtsy, a confession and a kiss, they were walking away happily committed to forging a new relationship. A relationship that's foundation was built not only on the principals of comradeship and the strength of their friendship, but also the intensity of the flames of their hearts.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Having finally come out of his mental fog, Tatsumi looked around at his comrades, unsure of how much time had passed. It didn't seem like he had been under for very long because nothing had really changed. The boss was still telling her story about Mine to an engrossed looking Leone and Akame, the weather was still barely misting, and of course, he was still feeling insane, miserable, guilty and broken.

Glancing over at Mine's grave with a heavy heart, he thought again about their first kiss. As silly as it may seem, that kiss had been life changing. He had not realized it at the time, but that kiss had completely altered his outlook on life. His desires, his goals, his whole reason for wanting to live had irrevocably changed in an instant. It was a once in a lifetime moment that had marked the official beginning of something priceless beyond anything Tatsumi had ever known. He couldn't even begin to find the words to express the loneliness he was feeling at its loss.

Tatsumi smiled bitterly when he thought about the word loneliness. Growing up, he had been raised in a small, close-knit village. It was a village where everyone knew each other and was there for each other, a place where, no matter how down you were, a friend who could lift you up was just around the corner.

For most of his life, loneliness was a word Tatsumi just didn't understand. That is, until the deaths of his childhood friends Ieyasu and Sayo. Their loss had been his first taste of what it felt like to be lonely. The experience had been eye-opening to say the least. Despite the shock and pain though, even then he hadn't felt completely alone. The members of Night Raid had been there for him. He didn't know them very well at the time, but their presence, particularly Leone's and Sheele's, had been very helpful.

But the isolation he was feeling at the loss of Mine was on a whole different level. Though their relationship had been young, an overwhelmingly powerful bond had developed between them, almost as if they had become one flesh. Her sudden disappearance had left him feeling fractured, empty, and for the first time in his life…hopelessly alone.

Night Raid was still there for him; in fact, he was much closer to the remaining members than he had been when Ieyasu and Sayo died. But for some reason, it didn't matter. The loneliness hung on him like a shield, deflecting any warmth or companionship that dared try to embrace him, cultivating and nurturing the cold empty void that had developed in his chest. Sadly, it was making him want to simply fall asleep, and never wake up.

Tatsumi knew that was impossible though, he had to keep waking up. As difficult as it was, he would bear the burden of this bitter loneliness. Not because he wanted too, but because he had to. Far too many lives, both current and future, were counting on him and the remnant of Night Raid. Counting on them to finally put to rest the twilight of this corrupt empire and bring about the dawn a new age. A new age that would also be the realization of Mine's dream.

But…when that task was done, when all the chaos was finally over…then maybe…just maybe…

Tatsumi once again thought of that night of the festival with Mine. Remembering a simple, yet important vow between the two of them, he smiled. A wave of comfort washed over him easing his pain momentarily.

 _Yes…Maybe…Just maybe…_

 _..._

*PPPFFFFFFFFFFFFTTTTTT*

Choking on the strawberry wine he had been drinking, Tatsumi expelled the liquid forcefully from between his lips, turning it to a pinkish red mist that shimmered in the air as it slowly descended toward the ground. Hacking and coughing violently, he looked around, fearful that he had hit a random passerby with his liquid explosion. Finding that he hadn't, (all he had done is merit some annoyed sideways glances from the others around him) he cleared his throat loudly a few times attempting to eject the remnant of wine that felt like it was still stuck in his throat.

Finally feeling like he had cleared his airway properly, he turned an apprehensive eye toward the source of his choking spasm. Mine, currently taking a sip of her own strawberry wine, was gazing coolly at him from over the brim of her glass. Aside from the light blush that was on her cheeks (most likely caused by the wine), her expression was completely neutral. In fact, it was a little _too_ neutral.

Feeling uncomfortable, Tatsumi started to scratch his cheek and reexamine his surroundings. He was impressed, despite it starting to get late, the plaza the dance was being held in was still packed with people. And while the majority of those people were either dancing or loitering around the dance floor, a great many were also doing what he and Mine were doing, shopping.

Lining the outside edge of the plaza was a myriad of vending booths. There were clothing booths, game booths, jewelry booths, booths selling knick knacks, and of course, booths offering food and beverages. After leaving the dance floor together in search of something to drink, Mine, thanks to a large banner advertising strawberry wine, had spotted the place they were currently at almost immediately.

Concerned, Tatsumi had, at length, attempted to dissuade her from drinking wine while tired and dehydrated. In the end though, the powerful allure of strawberry anything had trumped his sound reasoning. Mine was currently half-way through her second glass.

Taking another sip of the incredibly sweet beverage, Tatsumi continued to look around in far-fetched hopes that if he stalled long enough, Mine would forget about the awkward question she had just asked. The very same question, in fact, that had been the cause of the attempted inhalation of his wine. Unfortunately, that was not to be the case.

"Well, are you going to answer me Tatsumi"? Mine's tone sounded just as unnaturally neutral as her expression looked.

"Yeah sure…what was the question again"? Tatsumi tried his best to sound casual.

Mine's expression shifted to one that was somewhere in-between a pout and annoyed.

"Why are you making me ask again, the first time was embarrassing enough"!?

Glancing over at her out of the corner of his eye, Tatsumi retorted with a smile.

"Well, if it's that embarrassing, why ask in the first place"?

Glaring at him for a moment, Mine continued, completely ignoring his logic once again.

"I said…When Esdeath captured you, or when you were stuck on that deserted island with her…Did you…"

Pausing, Mine's eyes shifted toward the ground and her cheeks turned even rosier. When she spoke again her voice was quieter and sounded a lot meeker.

"…Did Esdeath do anything perverted to you"?

Even though this was the second time he had heard her ask this question, Tatsumi still felt very uneasy. The thought of telling Mine that Esdeath had kissed him seemed _really_ awkward.

"Nope, nothing perverted happened, not at all"! Tatsumi knew his voice sounded off and he had spoken too quickly.

"Really"? Mine looked hopeful.

"Well…I mean…She kissed me a few times, but that's all. That's not really perverted, right"?

The hopeful expression Mine was wearing fell immediately. Staring down at the ground again she mumbled.

"Oh, so something did happen".

Mine's reaction was somewhat confusing. He understood not liking the idea of another person kissing your significant other, but this seemed different. Mine looked really…troubled.

After an uncomfortable moment of silence that seemed to last forever, Mine looked back up at him. Her façade looked calm, but Tatsumi could see the disappointment lurking behind her eyes.

"I guess that mean's I couldn't possibly have been your first kiss huh"? She attempted to smile but it was clearly forced.

Realizing the reason for Mine's apparent overreaction, Tatsumi immediately felt like someone had plunged a dagger into his heart. He started to regret that he hadn't tried harder to stop Esdeath's advances. In truth, the kisses he had received from Esdeath had not made much of an impact on him so he really didn't give them much of a second thought. However, seeing Mine's reaction to the information changed that. The bitter taste of resentment started to rise in his throat. Not only had Esdeath stolen _his_ first kiss, she had also stolen something that was obviously important to Mine as well.

Quickly advancing from resentful to full on irritated, Tatsumi vowed to himself that, in the unlikely situation where Esdeath tried to kiss him again, he would absolutely not let it happen… _Never again_! Feeling fired up, he started to fantasize a scenario where Esdeath tried to kiss him and he 'heroically' rejected her, to the doting praise and gratitude of his stunning girlfriend Mine.

Just as Tatsumi started to vividly envision Mine's reward for his unwavering loyalty, her voice sliced through his sudden fantasy, bringing him back to reality.

"Hey Tatsumi"?

"Yeah"? Tatsumi blinked a few times to clear away the rest of his daydream.

"About those kisses…Um…" Mine started to look a little flustered. Bringing her index fingers up to start her nervous fidget, she stopped short and clasped her hands together instead.

"…W-what kind of kisses were they"? Mine's face flushed a deep red.

Tatsumi furrowed his brow in confusion.

"What do you mean 'what kind of kisses were they'? They were just…kisses I guess".

Mine glared up at him, puffed her cheeks out and stamped her foot.

"Damn it Tatsumi you know what I mean! Were any of them…you know…"

Releasing her hands, Mine started to fidget her index fingers furiously. When she spoke again her eyes were locked on the ground and her voice and lips were both pouty.

"…Were any of them…T-t-tongue k-kisses"?

Despite having it just spelled out for him, it still took a moment for the meaning of her question to register. When it did he felt his face warm up a little and he looked around self-consciously to see if anyone was listening to their conversation.

"Oh… _That's_ what you mean". On top of feeling uncomfortable, he now felt kind of stupid.

Reaching out, he awkwardly patted her on the head and whispered while looking around for ease droppers.

"Nope, no tongue kissing, just plain old regular…umm…lip kisses".

"Promise"? Although said in a shy voice, Mine's eyes were boring into him, probably looking for the slightest hint of dishonesty.

Chuckling nervously, Tatsumi leaned down and kissed her quickly on the forehead.

"Cross my heart, just a couple of pecks on the lips".

Seeming to be satisfied with his answer, Mine perked up a little.

"Good"! She exclaimed as she turned away from him.

While she was turning away however, Tatsumi couldn't help but notice a mysterious spark of determination twinkling in her eyes. Pondering said twinkle, he watched as Mine finished the last half of her wine in one go.

"AHHHHHH this is soo goooood"! She announced cheerfully, apparently done with her previous disappointment. Then in a voice as cloyingly sweet as her finished wine she stated.

"Hey Tatsumi".

Contrary to the honey-like tone she had just used, a black aura of death was suddenly emanating from her body. Whatever it was Mine was about to say, Tatsumi decided he should probably to pay attention.

"Yeah"? He replied cautiously.

Although continuing to sound sweet, there was an eerie demonic undertone in her response that sent shivers down Tatsumi's spine.

"You had better not be lying about those kisses… kay"?

As if to highlight Mine's current appearance, a young couple who had been about to walk by her stopped in their tracks when they saw her face. Exchanging worried glances, they both silently mouthed 'scary' to each other and then changed their direction.

Seeing the young couple flee from Mine, Tatsumi chuckled to himself.

"Come on Mine, I promised didn't I? Have I ever done anything to make you believe I would break a promise"?

As quickly as it appeared, the dark aura vanished. Looking back over her shoulder, Mine smiled with a genuine warmth that seemed to embrace her entire face.

"No…I suppose you haven't".

Suddenly spinning to face him, her about-face was so rapid it sent her twin tails gyrating. Still wearing the same breathtaking smile, Mine placed her hands behind her back and tilted her head.

"But that's just one of the many things I adore about you Tatsumi"!

Giggling sweetly, Mine turned back toward the wine vendor and started to prance in that direction.

"I'm going to go get another glass of this yummy wine, would you like one"? She called back over her shoulder.

"Nah, I'm uhh… still working on the one I have… thanks". Tatsumi tried his very best to respond in an easy going voice despite feeling completely overwhelmed by the way Mine had just acted.

Giggling sweetly again, Mine continued on her trek toward the 'yummy' strawberry wine.

Watching her go, Tatsumi shook his head slowly. Could this really be the same Mine he had come to know after joining Night Raid? It just didn't seem possible. The Mine that he was accustomed to was, for the most part, irritable, strong willed, ornery, bossy and blunt. Some may even go as far as to say she was a bit of a bitch.

However, the Mine who had been on display today was none of those things (again… for the most part). The Mine today had been sweet and playful; she had been sensitive, emotional…and delicate. Granted, it had been a bit of a special day (the whole, dancing, kissing, relationship thing). Even taking that into consideration though, the drastic contrast between personalities seemed odd and extreme.

Pondering the two different Mine's, Tatsumi could feel a tugging at the fringes of his mind, as if something major was just out of reach.

 _What could cause Mine to change so drastically?_

Tatsumi knew the answer to that question and the mind tugging he was experiencing were related, yet try as he might, he just couldn't reconcile the two.

And then an epiphany struck. Perhaps, the Mine he had been witnessing today…was the _real_ Mine. The Mine who had been buried underneath the scars of her childhood and the strife of her profession. The Mine who had been quietly waiting for someone willing to brave the jagged edges and take the time to chip away the coal to discover the priceless pink diamond within.

A strong sense of humility surged through him as he realized the unique honor he was being given. Mine had _chosen_ him. She was _allowing_ him to see this side of her, and not because she was being forced or compelled to, but simply because…she wanted to.

Tatsumi understood that his sudden epiphany was not the complete answer to his questions about Mine, he still felt like there was something important he was missing, but he was getting there. He had a feeling that soon all would become clear.

The heart-stopping smile Mine had flashed at him before going to get more wine appeared vividly in Tatsumi's mind. Turning his attention away from his confusion, he changed his focus to something that he was absolutely certain of.

 _That smile…needs to be protected._

Protected so that it could, at the end of all this death and darkness, have the opportunity to do what it had always deserved…flourish.

Lost deep in thought, Tatsumi nearly jumped out of his skin when Mine's voice suddenly called out to him.

"Here Tatsumi, I got this for you"! She said happily shoving a new glass of wine in his direction.

Looking at the full glass of liquid sugar, Tatsumi grimaced on the inside.

"Uh, thanks but, you must not have heard me, I said-"

"Oh I heard you" she interrupted. "I just decided it would look bad if I had three glasses, and you only had one. So…you're drinking this with me"!

Mine smiled sweetly up at him while she said this, but there was a glint of steel in her eyes telling him that 'no' was not an option here. Sighing deeply, Tatsumi finished his first glass off and took the new one.

"That's better. Now…" Mine, suddenly business-like, held her glass up in front of her. "…A toast"!

Looking at her held up cup of wine, Tatsumi smiled and moved his just in front of hers and nodded.

"Okay…a toast"!

Clinking their glasses together, Mine then, without saying a word, brought hers to her lips and took a long pull from it.

"You know you're supposed to give the toast _before_ you drink right"? Tatsumi teased.

Mine's face softened. Lowering her glass, she started to trace one of her fingers around its rim. When she spoke, her voice sounded mild and tender.

"You know what we're toasting to". Looking up from her glass she peered deeply into his eyes. "Does it really need to be said out loud"?

Tatsumi wasn't quite sure what it was, the look on her face, her tone, or just what she was alluding too, but he felt his heart melt at Mine's response.

"No…I guess not". Smiling gently down at her, Tatsumi took a sip of his wine.

Returning his smile, Mine brought her glass back up to her lips and finished it off. Tatsumi almost choked on his drink for the second time that night.

"Mine, what are you doing"?! His exasperated voice rang out.

Finishing her wine, Mine wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and looked up at him with a puzzled expression.

"What do you mean? I'm drinking my wine".

"Yeah, I see that! Don't you think you should slow down a bit"!?

Tatsumi was sure that three glasses of wine in that short amount of time was just too much for her little body. Mine apparently held a different opinion however.

"Oh shut up I'm fine! Besides, that was my last one. Don't worry about it"! She seemed pretty self-assured so Tatsumi decided to let it drop.

"Hey Tatsumi, there is something I'd like to talk to you about".

Mine was looking up at him with a semi-serious expression. Tatsumi suddenly felt nervous so he shifted his weight onto his back foot.

"Okay, what is it"? He said cautiously.

Looking him up and down, Mine placed her arms akimbo and started to glare.

"Why are you getting defensive? All I said was I need to talk to you"! Her voice had risen an octave.

Smiling sarcastically Tatsumi replied in a playful tone.

"I don't know, maybe because of…history"?

Intensifying her glare, Mine folded her arms across her chest tightly with a growl.

"You're such an ass sometimes"!

Stamping her foot, she turned her back on him with an indignant *humph*. Chuckling lightly, Tatsumi wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her from behind.

"Hey now, I was just teasing. No need to get mad. I'm sorry". He whispered softly in her ear.

Mine didn't respond right away, instead she placed her hands over his and leaned back into his chest. After a few breaths worth of time, she turned to face him, careful to remain in his arms.

"Jerk" She complained quietly. Scrunching up her face, she then stuck her tongue out at him.

Tatsumi just smiled and started caressing her back softly.

"So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about"?

"Oh, that's right I almost forgot". Clearing her throat, she continued in a very matter-of-fact tone.

"So, I was thinking, since the festival is getting over so late, instead of heading for base tonight and camping out half way, maybe we could just…"

Mine grimaced uncomfortably and her voice went from matter-of-fact to uncertain sounding.

"…stay at an inn tonight"?

"That's a great idea Mine"! Tatsumi responded exuberantly.

"Really? You're ok with that"? Mine looked surprised.

"Of course! After all the dancing and walking today, I would much rather sleep in a bed than on the ground. We brought plenty of money so the cost of our rooms isn't going to be an issue. We can just-"

Tatsumi cut himself off as something occurred to him. Mine was looking up at him blushing slightly with a quaint smile on her face.

"You uh…you probably weren't talking about us getting separate rooms, huh"?

Mine began biting on the corner of her lower lip and slowly shook her head. Swallowing hard, Tatsumi's heart started beating rapidly in his chest and his brow started to sweat.

"Are you…sure that's okay? I mean…for us to stay in the same room together"?

Tatsumi knew it was a childish question, but he had not been mentally prepared for this conversation and he wasn't handling it very well.

"Why wouldn't it be Tatsumi"?

Mine's tone was suspicious and she was arching one of her eyebrows. The scrutinizing stare she had leveled at him was making him more uncomfortable that he already was.

Despite his discomfort, Mine's question had started his mind down the path of why exactly it may not be a good idea for them to share a room. First he started thinking about staying in the same room as Mine, then sleeping in the same bed as her, and then… Tatsumi could feel his cheeks start to burn like they were on fire.

"Tatsumi, why are you blushing? Mine's look went from scrutinizing to piercing, then from piercing to wide-eyed. "Are y-you…Are you thinking l-lewd thoughts about…about m-me"?!

Normally, whenever Mine yelled at him or Lubb for being perverts or assumedly thinking lewd things, her tone was angry and offended. This time however, Tatsumi noticed that it wasn't like that. Instead, she just sounded flustered and embarrassed. Because of that, he decided to be truthful about what he had been thinking. Bowing humbly toward Mine, he answered her question.

"Yeah, I was. I didn't mean to it just kind of happened. Sorry if that bothers you".

Mine noticeably flinched. It was obvious by the look on her face that his honesty had totally blindsided her and she had no idea how to respond. After a moment of silence, she gazed up at him and simply said.

"Oh _. Really_ "? She looked genuinely surprised.

"Yeah, really". Tatsumi started to scratch at his cheek and he shrugged.

"Like I said, It wasn't on purpose, it just kind of happened. But…isn't that normal? I mean, you are my girlfriend. Wouldn't it be weird if I _didn't_ think about stuff like that, at least a little"?

Tatsumi could see how conflicted Mine was at that moment. On one hand, she was probably, out of habit, looking for a reason to be offended. But her face was telling a different story. The corners of her mouth were trying to turn up into a smile and her cheeks and eyes looked like someone who had just received a huge compliment. Her internal struggle seemed to continue for few seconds longer, then her face hardened and she gave him a dirty look.

"Tatsumi! I was really happy you agreed so readily, but now you just made it awkward…idiot"!

Stamping her foot she then turned and started to walk off. As she walked away, Tatsumi noticed that her legs were a _little_ unsteady and her path was not _quite_ straight. Smiling and shaking his head he called after her.

"Hey, Mine! Where are you going"?

Looking back over her shoulder, she lazily flung one of her arms in the air.

"Well, if we want to find a room this late on a festival night, we better start looking now beca-AHHHHH"!

As Mine took her next step her leg suddenly buckled and she fell awkwardly, crying out in pain. Worried, Tatsumi ran to Mine's side to see if she was okay. As he approached he could hear her making a strange sound that was somewhere in between a laugh and a cry.

"Ow Ow Ow, Damn it, ouch"! She exclaimed while grasping her ankle.

The words Mine was saying, and the tears streaming down her cheeks said she was in pain, but the weird off-smile on her face and the giggly like tone she was using said the opposite. Looking closer, Tatsumi could see that her eyes were somewhat glazed over and unfocused. It appeared the wine had finally kicked in.

Smiling up at him as he approached, Mine pointed with both hands down at her ankle and spoke in a dialect that was definitely leaning in the intoxicated direction.

"Tatsumi! I seem to have fallen down and rolled my ankle! It _really_ hurts"!

As she finished saying this, the smile on her face vanished and her voice broke like she was about to start crying. Squatting down next to her, Tatsumi started to rub her back consolingly with one hand, while reaching down with the other to examine her ankle. It was already looking swollen.

"Yeah, I saw. That looked like it hurt."

"It did" she pouted, but then immediately seemed to perk up.

"Hey, are you gonna take care of me"? She asked in a mildly slurred yet sweet voice.

Hearing her slight slur and seeing her injured ankle, Tatsumi suddenly felt irritated and he responded snappishly.

"Of course, did you really think I would just sit here and let you suffer alone"?!

Instead of firing back, Mine's countenance fell immediately at his peevish remark. Seeing that he had hurt her feelings made Tatsumi even more irritable.

"Damn it Mine, I told you that you drank that wine too fast! Why don't you ever listen to me"?!

Just as quickly as it had appeared, the crestfallen look vanished and was replaced with an angry stare.

"Okay, for one, you never told me that I drank the wine too fast. You asked me if I thought I should slow down a bit".

Tatsumi realized she was right, that is what he had said.

"And twwwooooo"! Holding up two fingers, Mine obnoxiously shoved them in his face, then with the other hand, slapped him in the back of the head. "The last thing I need right now is an 'I told you so', stupid"!

Turning her head away from him she put her nose in the air with a *humph*.

Tatsumi lowered his head in shame. She was right, truthfully he was not mad at her at all; he realized his irritation was stemming from feeling really disappointed in himself.

"You're right Mine, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I'm just mad at myself and took it out on you for some reason".

He felt so guilty that he didn't even look at her while apologizing; instead he just stared at the ground.

"Why are you mad at yourself"? Mine sounded really confused.

Continuing to keep his eyes averted, he answered.

"Because…I saw how much and how fast you drank that wine. I knew it was going to affect you. Yet, when you fell…" Tatsumi blushed a little before continuing. "I wasn't there to catch you. And now look your ankle! This might sound stupid, but I feel like I failed as your boyfriend just now. Again, I'm really sorry".

Mine started to laugh heartily.

"Oh Tatsumi, you're such a mushy drama queen sometimes, geez"!

Reaching out, Mine placed her fingers under his chin and gently lifted his head.

"Come on now, don't make that face. I don't want to see you sad any more than you want to see me hurt. Besides, this obviously wasn't your fault". Mine's voice was very soft and kindly.

Shifting her hand from his chin to his cheek, she once again started to caress his face. As before, the moment she started doing this, Tatsumi felt himself start to relax. Closing his eyes, he sighed peacefully.

"You really like it when I do this don't you"? Mine whispered teasingly.

"Mmhm" Tatsumi mumbled while slowly nodding his head. Opening his eyes, he smiled at Mine.

"I do, it really relaxes me".

Sighing again, Tatsumi stood up.

"Well, I suppose we better get on our way If we're gonna get a room".

"Yeah, that is what I was trying to say when I tripped". Mine chirped.

Reaching her hand up toward him she continued.

"Help me up please".

Smiling down at her, Tatsumi reached toward her. Instead of taking her hand thought, he hooked one arm behind her knees and the other behind her back and scooped her up princess style.

"T-Tatsumi! What are you doing? Put me down"! Mine's eyes were wide.

"What's it look like I'm dong, I'm carrying you" He replied nonchalantly.

"I see that! What I mean is why? I can walk just fine. Now put me down, this is embarrassing"!

Mine was blushing and she actually looked kind of frantic.

"Sorry Mine, no can do. I'm sure you could hobble along if you really tried, but we're in a bit of a hurry and if you push your ankle it would probably hurt, and I don't want that. Also, there is a chance you would just twist your other ankle; then I'd end up carrying you anyways".

Mine glared up at him and opened her mouth to say something, then stopped and looked away.

"Fine whatever, do what you want. Just know that this is making me self-conscious and I don't like it".

Folding her arms across her chest, Mine started to sulk.

"Sorry you're feeling self-conscious. If it makes you feel better, I really enjoy carrying you like this".

Mine looked up at him with a puzzled expression and tilted her head.

"You do? Why"?

Shrugging one of his shoulders, Tatsumi smiled warmly.

"Because it reminds me of my favorite part of Kyoroku".

Mine's eyes widened in surprise and, blushing, she quickly looked away. Smiling to himself, Tatsumi began his search for an inn. While he searched, Mine continued to look away silently long enough that he started to worry that he had upset her. Just as he was about to ask if everything was okay, he felt her hand touch his cheek again.

"Hey". She said in a strangely soft tone.

"Yeah"? Hearing the odd note in her voice he looked down unsure of what to expect.

Mine's beautiful magenta eyes were gazing up at him brimming with ardor.

"Kiss me". She whispered affectionately. Closing her eyes, she pursed her lips together and waited.

Having kissed in public multiple times that day, Tatsumi was surprised at how aware he suddenly was of all the people around them. However, something he had seen in her eyes beckoned to him, overpowering his sense of shame or propriety. Slowly, almost subconsciously, he lowered his head toward hers. As he neared, she slid the hand that was on his cheek to the back of his neck and pulled him into her kiss.

As they parted, Mine exhaled strongly and her pleasantly warm breath washed over his mouth caressing his face. Moving her head slightly, she started tracing her lips lightly across his.

"I love the way your lips feel" She breathed quietly.

Pulling his head down she kissed him tenderly again.

"They're so soft…and warm".

A third kiss. This one however, was noticeably different from the first two. Mine's mouth seemed softer, more relaxed, and the kiss itself was much more passionate. Their lips had molded together off-center, pushing Tatsumi's lower lip in-between hers. As they separated Mine gently pulled his lip back with her until it reached its limit and lightly snapped back into place.

Breathing deeply, Mine gazed up at him with glossy, smoldering eyes. A sudden intense feeling of anticipation ran up into Tatsumi's cheeks and down his spine.

Reaching toward him with trembling hands, Mine ran her fingers through his hair and pulled him in for another kiss. As their mouths drew near she paused, tracing her lips against his again. Then, after a few whispering breaths, she pressed forward and delicately tasted the inside of his mouth.

If the tingling sensation he had felt after their first kiss was comparable to an electric current than the feeling he had right now would be akin to being struck by a thunderbolt. The sensation was so strong it caused him to physically shudder.

Pulling back a little, Mine smiled and in the same breathy voice she had used earlier whispered.

"Yeah…me too. Amazing, wasn't it"?

All Tatsumi could muster for a reply to her question was a nod. Feeling her hands tighten on his head, she pulled him toward her again. Ready this time, when Mine eased her tongue into his mouth, he responded in kind.

Their kiss was a little awkward to start. It was obvious neither one of them were sure what they were supposed to be doing. They bumped noses a few times and even clanged their teeth together once. Yet, as the kiss continued, their instincts seemed to take over putting an end to the oral disarray.

Finding a rhythm, their tongues started dancing around each others in a graceful vortex. Eventually, Mine pursed her lips together for one last gentle peck then begrudgingly pulled away from him. In stunned silence, the two of them just stared into each other's eyes, as if too overwhelmed to do anything else.

Tatsumi couldn't believe how that one kiss had made him feel. His emotions felt like they were going crazy. He felt so elated and in love with Mine at that moment he could hardly stand it. His emotions however, were not the only thing that was going wild.

Intense teenage hormones that were normally locked down tight had broken their chains and were raging unchecked through his body, causing his breath to come in shallow gasps and his blood to feel like it was boiling. Almost finished with his teenage years, Tatsumi was not unfamiliar with sexual desire; however the urges had _never_ been this powerful. To add to that pressure, it was obvious Mine was struggling in a similar fashion.

With flushed cheeks, her breathing was coming in steady huffs causing her chest to heave provocatively. Her petite body was trembling in his arms, giving off an extraordinary amount of body heat. She had also pushed her hands firmly into her upper lap, and her thighs and hips seemed to be fidgeting uncomfortably.

Finally breaking their eye contact, Mine looked at all the people around them and then gazed sheepishly up at Tatsumi. Reaching for his face, she briskly wiped away the light skim of saliva that was left on the corners of his lips with her thumb.

"Sorry…I uh…got a little carried away there…"

Tatsumi didn't say anything; instead he swallowed hard and squeezed his eyelids shut. He was really struggling with his self-control. All he could think about was kissing her again. Attempting to relax, he started taking deep, steady breaths. After about three cycles, Mine's voice grabbed his attention.

"Tatsumi…"?

Opening his eyes, he looked down at Mine. She was staring up at him with one eyebrow arched. The look on her face was somewhere in between questioning and concerned.

"Are you okay"?

"Yeah, It's just…That kiss…It was…" Tatsumi met Mine's eyes and blushed. "…I don't know…Over stimulating"?

Mine smiled and her eyes twinkled with a hint of relief.

"Oh good, I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way". Her hips and thighs once again shifted 'suggestively'.

Her expression then became mischievous and she giggled.

"Over stimulating huh? So then, if I were to try to kiss you again, are you saying that, because of your 'over-stimulation', it would be a bad thing"?

Mine's playful attitude was contagious and despite still struggling with his inflamed libido, Tatsumi smirked down at her.

"Maybe, I suppose you will just have to try it and see".

Mine tilted her head slightly and half-lidded her eyes. Her lips parted in a soft and sultry fashion.

"Oh yeah"? She said playfully and then started to move her head toward Tatsumi's

"Yeah". He breathed and lowered his lips toward hers.

As the distance between their mouths closed, the memory of their previous entanglement emerged, causing Tatsumi's pulse to quicken exponentially. He was almost desperate to feel Mine's lips against his again. Just as they were about to come together, their moment was abruptly interrupted by a loud disgusted sounding voice.

"Excuse me you two! You do realize that you are in public, and there are children still running around"?!

In unison, they looked toward the source of the voice. Next to them was a middle-aged looking woman with a young boy in front of her. Her hands were placed over his eyes blocking his vision. In a crackling voice the woman continued.

"Have you no shame!? There is a time and place for activities like that, and this is neither"!

Tatsumi tried to say something to defend them, but he could hear random people chuckling at the woman's words as they passed by flustering him to the point of only being able to stutter. Fortunately, Mine remained composed and replied to the woman.

"You're right ma'am" She said humbly. "We obviously had a little too much wine tonight and forgot our whereabouts. We're sorry". Mine closed her eyes and bowed her head. Turning toward the woman, Tatsumi followed Mine's lead and also bowed his head.

"Yes, sorry ma'am".

The woman glared at the two of them for a moment and then turned to leave with a loud *humph* pulling the boy in tow.

Tatsumi made sure that they were gone before finally turning back toward Mine.

"Well, that was embarrass-mph"!

He didn't get to finish because as soon as he turned toward Mine she firmly pulled his head down with both hands into a pleasant yet brief open mouthed kiss.

When finished, she examined his face while rubbing his chest with her hand.

"So, was it a bad thing"?

"Nope, not at all". Tatsumi smiled at her and shook his head slowly. Mine was definitely in a 'flirtatious' mood, most likely because of the alcohol. He wasn't about to say anything though, not only would it run the risk of pissing her off, but he was also really enjoying it.

"I didn't think it would be" she mumbled playfully. Then in a more serious tone, she continued.

"So, that lady did bring up a good point Tatsumi".

"What's that"?

"There _are_ more appropriate places to do things like what we were doing". Mine then stared directly into his eyes and her hips and thighs fidgeted again. "Like, for example, a room at an inn".

Tatsumi did not fail to pick up on the suggestiveness in Mine's words. Swallowing hard, he nodded his head and silently reminded himself again that Mine had been drinking so she wasn't really herself right now.

"Yeah, we should probably hurry up and find a place to sleep tonight". Tatsumi hoped the sudden butterflies in his stomach didn't transfer over to his voice.

"Yeah, we need to find a place to…sleep". Mine gazed up at him coyly and then nestled down into his chest, closed her eyes and mumbled: "Tired".

Taking a moment to admire how beautiful and peaceful she looked with her eyes closed, Tatsumi once again started looking for an inn. Having had his libido calm down a little, he could more clearly meditate of what staying in the same room as Mine could entail. He was going to have to be very observant and read the mood carefully. The last thing he wanted was for something to happen that Mine would regret, thus causing irreversible damage to their fledgling relationship. He only hoped that if needed; he could resist any advances Mine may make.

Despite his best efforts though, his mind started to fantasize about how the rest of the night could go. Chuckling nervously to himself; he knew he was heading into a volatile situation that, with one wrong move, could blow up in his face. There was, however, no turning back now.

Tatsumi had absolutely no idea how the rest of the night was going to go, but that didn't really matter. Regardless of how things turned out…he knew it would be a memory he would never forget.


	8. Chapter 7 (Part 1)

EDIT 7/16: Fixed some typo's and made a few changes to the end of Mine's monolog.

 **Chapter 7 (Part 1)**

Tatsumi was pretty sure he was going to vomit. His stomach was churning and groaning out loud from all the butterflies that were apparently flying around in there. He had tried deep breathing, pacing around the room in circles, and even going out on the balcony to watch the crowds of people far below to take his mind off his nerves. Nothing was working.

Turning away from the balcony's railing which he had been leaning on, Tatsumi looked back into the room he and Mine had rented for the night. Its design was simple yet spacious. On the wall across from him in the right corner was the entry way. In the far left corner was a table with a lamp on it and two chairs. The bed was centered on the left wall extending toward the center of the room, a nightstand with lamps on each side. Opposite the bed was an elegant looking vanity with a large oval shaped mirror. The double doors leading to the balcony were in the near left corner of the room and in the near right corner was a wash basin.

Gripping his stomach, Tatsumi moved back into the room and started to pace again. He couldn't _believe_ how long it was taking Mine to get done with her bath. Upon check in, they learned that the Inn boasted a full indoor bathhouse; of course, Mine had been ecstatic and insisted on using it immediately. Having been left alone in their room, Tatsumi had decided to take a bath as well. After a full day of walking and dancing the hot water had felt almost miraculous, so Tatsumi had taken his time. Yet despite that, he had been back in the room alone for at least a half hour.

Looking down at the tan, calf-length bathrobe he was wearing, Tatsumi frowned. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't care at all about how long of a bath Mine took. However, this time was different. The longer he sat in their room in solitude, the more time he had to really stew on his situation. Reacting to his thoughts, the butterflies in his stomach intensified their flight patterns, causing him to increase the hustle of his pacing and groan uncomfortably.

His mind nervously rehashed Mine's recent suggestive statements.

 _"..There are more appropriate places to do things like what we were doing…Like, for example, a room at an inn…"_

 _"…Yeah, we need to find a place to…sleep…"_

Tatsumi placed both hands on his head and sighed. That was just the wine talking, Mine would never insinuate those kinds of things normally, it just wasn't her. A fond smile split his lips, he couldn't even count the times that he or Lubb had been smacked or kicked by Mine because she just _suspected_ that they were having indecent thoughts.

Tatsumi glanced down at the robe he was wearing and grimaced. He realized that he was being really presumptuous. Not only that, but sadly, he was also kind of insulting Mine's character and integrity at the same time. His nervousness faded and was replaced with guilt.

Looking over at the nightstand on the balcony side, his gaze focused on the small bag with his clothes in it, which he had shoved onto the bottom shelf. Making up his mind, he started to move toward the bag, he needed to get out of this robe before Mine got back.

As luck would have it, the moment his hand touched the bag, the sound of the room door opening echoed through the air. Standing up abruptly, Tatsumi's hand caught on the bag, knocking it over and spilling its contents on the floor. Attempting to kick the mess back onto the shelf, he looked over at the door as Mine entered the room.

As soon as Tatsumi got a good look at Mine all nerves and guilt vanished. Like him, she was dressed in a tan robe. Her long, freshly brushed pink hair was completely down, cascading both across her back and over each shoulder. Although not soaking wet, it was obvious that her hair was still damp, causing it to look darker and straighter than normal. Her cherub-like face was pinkishly aglow with that freshly scrubbed look, no lotion, no makeup, just her natural beauty.

Tightly clutching a clothing bag similar to his to her chest, she looked at him briefly then cast her eyes downward and advanced toward the table. Immediately Tatsumi's nerves flared up again, much worse than before. He felt compelled to say something to her but had no idea what. Sitting down at the table, Mine crossed her arms on its surface and stared at them in silence. Reaching up and scratching his cheek, Tatsumi finally managed to stutter a question.

"S-so, how was your bath"?

Mine was slow to answer; when she finally did, her response was brief.

"Fine".

Tatsumi winced. If he didn't know any better, she sounded irritated. Looking down at the robe he was wearing again, he could feel his brow start to sweat and the butterflies that had returned to his stomach took their game to a whole new level. Attempting to stay calm and not overreact to something that may or may not be there, he tried to continue the conversation as casually as possible.

"That's good, I'm…uh…glad. My bath was nice also".

Again, Mine didn't look up or say anything right away. Instead, as he mentioned his bath, she tightened the grip she had on her arms. After a moment she relaxed her hands and exhaled slowly.

"That's good Tatsumi, you do look… _awfully comfortable_ ".

Tatsumi could feel his heart sink. That was obviously a jab. Placing his hands over his face to help him think, he figured he had two options here. He could either play dumb and see what happens, or he could just attack the situation head on. Sighing deeply, he went with the only viable decision.

"Okay Mine, what's wrong"? Although still nervous, his tone was blunt.

"What's wrong!? What do you mean 'What's wrong'!? What could _possibly_ be wrong Tatsumi"!?

Mine's tone had steadily increased in volume and pitch as she progressed through her statement. Standing up sharply she turned a steely gaze upon him. Electing not to engage in a verbal sparring match, Tatsumi instead gritted his teeth and braced for proverbial impact.

"I mean really Tatsumi, why would anything be wrong? I'm in this beautiful room, which only happens to have _one_ bed, together with my boyfriend whom I just started dating _tonight_! Who, by the way, obviously has _big plans_ for the evening seeing as he is casually dressed in a bathrobe"!

Mine placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. Again Tatsumi remained silent. He considered mentioning the fact that she had also come to the room in a bathrobe, but decided now may not be the best time. Her face then flushed a deep red and she started fidgeting her fingers. Dropping the sarcasm, Mine was more direct with her next complaint.

"What's worse though is you just let me make out with you in front of half the town, you didn't even try to stop me"!

Having worked herself up into a frenzy, Mine's now clenched fists shot out to her sides and her arms started flailing up and down rapidly. Squeezing her eyes shut she yelled.

"We were even scolded by one of the townsfolk"!

Burying her face in her hands she sighed deeply and continued her tirade.

"You knew that I had too much to drink Tatsumi, you even commented on it, yet, you still let all of this happen. Just what kind of girl do you think I am"?!

Tatsumi felt bad, he really did, in fact, that last question stung deeply. Under normal circumstances, he would have done everything in his power to fix the situation and try to make Mine feel better. But…these were not normal circumstances. When Mine had been flailing her arms up and down, the belt of her robe had loosened causing the top half of her outfit to open up, exposing what lay beneath.

Tatsumi knew that he shouldn't look. He knew that if Mine caught him staring at her body instead of giving her his undivided attention right now that she would pummel him. Unfortunately, the alluring pink lace of her bra and the enchanting contours of her body had secured a mighty grip upon his eyes. Try as he might, every time he managed to tear his eyes away, they simply reached up and yanked his gaze back.

Looking up at him, Mine opened her mouth to say something but then stopped. Cocking her head, she looked puzzled momentarily then her eyes widened and she slowly glanced down at her robe. An immense amount of pressure started to build in the room as Mine chuckled eerily.

"And you want me to share a bed with you tonight"?! She almost spat the words.

Raising her head up again, one of her eyes was twitching out of control and she was wearing the same crazy smile he had seen earlier in the night. Not even bothering to cover up, Mine took a step forward while cocking her hand back to strike.

"You better find a nice patch of floor because I would never share a bed with someone like you! Y-You, you, you…PERVERT"!

Watching Mine lunge forward angrily, Tatsumi didn't try to dodge or block, he just closed his eyes and waited.

As expected, tremendous explosions erupted in his ears, and bright flashes of light painted the inside of his eyelids a rainbow of colors. Next, a noise filled the air that was much like the sound made when you throw water into a hot pan of oil followed by loud cheers… Tatsumi realized that the sounds he was hearing were not from being slapped.

Opening one eye he could see that Mine had traded her scowl for a huge gaping smile. Her hands were clutched to her chest and her eyes were wide with a dreamy, childlike innocence. Turning to face him she almost squealed with excitement.

"Tatsumi, Fireworks… _FIREWORKS_! I love fireworks!"

Clapping her hands together rapidly, she haphazardly fixed her robe then dashed forward and grabbed one of his arms, yanking him toward the balcony.

"Come on, come on, come on"! She pleaded happily while jumping up and down, apparently forgetting about her rage and desire to do him bodily harm.

Rushing out onto the balcony, Mine suddenly stopped dead in her tracks and gasped. Standing next to her and surveying the view, Tatsumi immediately understood why as a feeling of wonderment swept over him as well.

At some point, the town had extinguished all the street lamps and decorative lighting, leaving the ground level in what should have been total darkness. Instead though, shining in the darkness, thousands of sparklers had been lit in unison making the streets look like a surging, hypnotic ocean of fireflies. Launching from somewhere within that sea of glittering light, fireworks sped skyward, morphing to brilliant, colorful balls of flame as they ascended. Reaching their apex the balls of flame would then erupt in a thunderous detonation that shook the very air and sent blazing fluorescent streamers out across the night sky, creating the illusion of hundreds of shooting stars descending softly to earth. Accompanying each explosion was the excited sound of cheers as the townsfolk happily applauded the highlight of their yearly celebration.

It was picturesque, the mesmerizing light of sparklers, the raw power and grandiose of the fireworks, however, they were _not_ what had caused Mine to gasp or had made Tatsumi's hair stand on the back of his neck.

The pristine night sky that the fireworks had the privilege of highlighting was scintillating from the mosaic of antique sentinels adorning its awe-inspiring canvas. The vivid clarity of the midnight tapestry was such that the rarely seen milky ribbon of light that wove its way endlessly through the darkened heavens was on full display for all to behold.

Despite the splendor of the stars, however, the immaculate centerpiece of this heavenly magnum opus was the eternal mother of night herself, the full moon. Positioned directly out from their balcony, she tranquilly hung just above the horizon, lightly kissing its surface. Seemingly refusing to be outdone by a mere man-made light show, she had swollen to many, many times her normal size, bathing all she could caress in her silvery, celestial majesty.

Looking over at Mine, Tatsumi smiled. Her hands were still clutched to her chest and the wide eyed, open mouthed smile she had been wearing had grown even larger. She was standing so statuesquely still that he could scarcely tell if she was breathing.

As if feeling his gaze upon her, Mine glanced in his direction out of the corner of her eye, then smiled warmly and turned slowly to face him. Tatsumi's heart caught in his throat as their eyes met. Bathed in the luminescence of the moon, her skin was shining like the purist of polished ivory while the brilliance of the night sky reflected vibrantly in her eyes. Dancing to the rhythm of the gently blowing breeze, her hair was flowing softly to one side, while stray tendrils lazily passed across her visage.

Lowering her eyes shyly, Mine attempted unsuccessfully to tuck a vagrant lock behind her ear.

"This view…have you ever seen anything more breathtaking"? Mine's voice was almost a whisper.

Tatsumi smiled, the scenery _was_ breathtaking. Despite its glamor though, as far as he was concerned, it was nothing but a mere accent to the angelic vision standing before him. Reaching out, he softly brushed his fingers across her forehead securing the vigilante tuft of hair behind her ear. Tracing his fingers lightly down her cheek, he gently lifted her head by the chin, and, looking deep into her eyes, replied simply.

"No, I haven't".

Mine's eyes widened. She attempted to speak, but couldn't seem to find her voice so instead, she just looked down awkwardly. It was apparent that she knew the 'view' he had been referring too had nothing to do with the fireworks or night sky.

After a moment of silence, Mine reached up and, grasping his hand, pressed if firmly against her cheek. Sighing happily, she turned her gaze back up toward him with a delicate yet captivating smile on her lips. Her eyes were shimmering with a now familiar inner radiance. It was the same warmth or light that had been present earlier in the day, only this time it was blazing with an unparalleled intensity. Burning through the copious amounts of doubt and confusion that had been plaguing him all day, it unmistakably branded its identity onto his heart.

Tatsumi felt all the breath in his lungs suddenly vanish as he was struck with a moment of clarity.

Lou's absurd sounding statement from earlier in the evening played in his mind.

 _"…Mine truly loves you…"_

Tatsumi hadn't believed it at the time. How could he, it seemed ridiculous. But now, standing before her, he understood the truth. Mine had been looking at him with her heart in her eyes, silently trying to tell him how she really felt.

Everything suddenly made sense. The understanding that had seemed just out of grasp, Mine's contrasting double personality, the way she had been acting earlier in the day, all the pieces finally seemed to fall into place.

Tatsumi lowered his head incredulously. He couldn't believe that he hadn't seen it sooner, it was so simple, and seemed so obvious now.

Bringing his attention back to what was in front on him, Mine reached out and softly lifted his head by the chin.

"Hey, what are you thinking about"? She was still wearing that same beautiful smile and her face was full of sincere adoration.

Her eyes and smile then took on a more playful note and she continued in a cute growl.

"By the look on your face, it _must be serious_ "!

Tatsumi smiled somewhat helplessly at her. He wasn't sure how to answer. How could he tell her what he had really been thinking about? Wink and give her the double finger guns while telling her he knew she was in love with him? He almost laughed out loud at the stupidity of the thought. Yet, he knew he needed to say something.

Influenced by the beautiful panorama just off their balcony, Tatsumi made a snap decision on what he wanted to say. Taking ahold of her hand touching his face, he glanced down at his feet for a moment to steel his nerve. Breathing deeply, he looked back up at Mine.

Tatsumi wasn't sure if it was the look on his face or the atmosphere he was now giving off, but Mine's smile immediately took on a more serious look as their eyes met. Swallowing hard, he did his best to ignore the intense nervousness he was now feeling.

"Mine, there is something I have been wanting to say to you". His throat felt dry and his voice sounded creaky in his own ears.

Mine didn't respond at all, she just stood perfectly still, waiting for him to finish. For some reason, her calm exterior was making him even more nervous.

"I know that we haven't known each other all that long and that we have only been dating for a night…"

It could have been his imagination, but Mine's calm exterior seemed to take on a sad note. Tatsumi could feel his resolve start to crumble.

"Look, I understand this may sound crazy, but I know…I know it's true. Mine…Mine I…"

Tatsumi looked down at his feet again as his throat closed up. Damn it! Why was this so hard to say? He knew he loved her. He was pretty confident that she loved him. This shouldn't be so difficult. Taking a few more deep breaths, he suddenly snapped his head up and attempted to just blurt out what he was feeling.

"Mine! I… I lo-mph"!

Surprisingly, Mine covered his mouth with her hand. Confused, he looked at her and saw that it hadn't been his imagination. She was wearing a melancholy expression. Sliding her hand from his mouth to the side of his head, she rose up on her toes and kissed him lightly on the lips, then again on the upper cheek next to his ear.

"I know how you feel Tatsumi, I've known for a while". She whispered.

A gout of air blasted free from between Tatsumi's lips as the enormous amount of nervous energy he had been feeling defused all at once.

"Really"?!

"Yeah," Mine replied softly then smiled sadly as she drew her head back. "It was obvious; you kind of wear your emotions on your sleeve".

Tatsumi started scratching at his cheek; he was having a hard time processing what had just happened. If she had really known how he felt all along then why had she stopped him just now? Reflexively he started to ask that very question, but then stopped as it occurred to him what the answer probably was.

Turning slowly toward the fireworks, he rested his hands on the railing and sighed. The intense emotional high he had just been experiencing had vanished and had been replaced with a weird empty feeling in his chest. He could feel Mine staring at him, and a part of him legitimately wanted to turn and acknowledge her gaze, but he couldn't. Not only were his feelings hurt, but he was _really_ embarrassed.

"Hey…" Mine's voice was soft and full of concern as she reached out and poked his cheek. "Come on now, don't make that face".

Tatsumi glanced down at her out of the corner of his eye.

"What face? I'm fine, just enjoying the fireworks". Tatsumi tried his best to smile.

Reaching out and patting Mine on the head he then returned to looking out over the view.

As he pulled his hand away, Mine grabbed it and gave a soft jerk. Looking back at her, she was now glaring at him. When their eyes met she tilted her head slightly and raised both eyebrows. It was obvious she didn't believe him.

"What? Seriously, I'm fine".

Mine let go of his hand and crossed her arms while pressing her lips together tightly. The two of them stayed that way briefly before Mine finally sighed and headed back into the room.

"Hey what're you doing? You're going to miss the grand finale".

Mine paused and looked at him for a second then, without answering, turned and proceeded to extinguish all the lamps inside the room save one, the lamp that was on the nightstand closest to the balcony. She then sat down on that same side of the bed. After a few moments, she started to fidget her shoulders nervously.

"So… do you remember earlier in the evening when you uh…asked me if everything was okay and I told you to ask later"?

"Yeah"?

"Well…" Mine then blushed and gently patted the bed next to her "If…you know… you're still curious…it's later."

Tatsumi looked from her to the place on the bed she had just patted then back to her. Truth be told, he wasn't feeling very chatty at the moment (he kind of just wanted to continue pouting), but he was really curious about what she had to say. It was possible it had something to do with her stopping his confession just now. Nodding slowly, he walked into the room and sat down on the bed next to her.

In spite of her invitation, Mine didn't say anything right away. Instead, she went back and forth from fidgeting while looking at the floor, to looking at him and blushing.

"Mine"? He finally asked after watching her repeat the same cycle 3 or 4 times.

"What"? Her eyes and voice both seemed kind of panicky and she was turning red to the tips of her ears.

Intrigued (and confused) by the way Mine was acting, the negative feeling he had been experiencing faded slightly. Tatsumi arched one of his eyebrows and, rather than speak, just looked at her.

Mine turned away from his stare and chuckled nervously.

"S-so are you uh…c-comfortable"? Hand ringing was added to the shoulder twitching.

Tatsumi looked down at the bed they were sitting on then back at Mine and shrugged slowly. He had no idea what was going on, but Mine was obviously _very_ anxious.

"Sure, I guess…why"?

"Well, I uh…I was just thinking…maybe you could…y-you might enjoy…"

Mine paused and then instead of finishing her thought, pushed up off the bed a little and tucked her legs under so she was now kneeling. Grimacing uncomfortably, she then looked from her lap to him and raised both eyebrows questioningly. Tatsumi looked from her eyes to her lap then back to her and smiled lightly, feeling confused.

Mine's eyes narrowed slightly and it looked like she may have started clenching her teeth. Glancing back down at her lap, she patted it somewhat stiffly a few times with both hands then looked back up at him and 'smiled'. Tatsumi swallowed hard when he saw a smile he recognized all too well. The lack of true warmth, the tightness around her lips and eyes, Mine was getting irritated with him and trying not to show it.

Tatsumi could feel his body temperature rise as the butterflies he had experienced earlier returned. She was expecting him to do something, but for the life him, he had no idea what. His mind was starting to panic slightly making it hard to reason on the situation.

In a flash of insight, the answer suddenly revealed itself. Relief flooded through him as he began to move his body to fulfill Mines inaudible wish. However, as he moved to position himself, he couldn't help but wonder why she would want him to do this.

Having pulled his legs under him into a kneeling position that mimicked Mine perfectly, Tatsumi smiled at her triumphantly.

Mine looked at him in what appeared to be disbelief (perhaps disgust?) then slowly shook her head. Bringing a hand up to her face, she looked away and pinched the bridge of her nose between her eyes in a fashion that reminded Tatsumi of something you would do if you had a headache. After releasing an exasperated-sounding sigh, Mine glared back over at him and rolled her eyes (definitely in disgust). Then with a deftness and speed that caught him completely off guard, she reached out, grabbed a hold of his ear…and yanked.

Searing pain lanced through Tatsumi's head as Mine viciously twisted his ear and pulled it down toward the bed. He was about to launch into a blistering verbal counterstrike for the excruciating pain she was inflicting upon his ear but was halted mid-assault as the side of his face was then pressed down into something extremely soft and warm.

Tatsumi's entire body went rigid and then relaxed as he realized what was going on. He had read about this occurrence many times, in fact, Lubb and he had discussed it dreamily more than once, but he had never experienced it, until now. What was left of his negative attitude melted away as, at long last, he had the opportunity to enjoy his first lap pillow.

Contrary to the serene bliss that he was feeling, Mine suddenly seemed overly tense. Her breathing felt irregular and she had begun playing with his hair, but her movements felt unnatural and jerky.

"S-so, is this okay? Are you uh… more comfortable now"? Mines voice sounded just as strained as her movements felt.

Tatsumi smiled as he realized why she was and had been acting so funny. This was probably her first time giving someone a lap pillow and, due to its intimate nature, she was feeling insecure. Unsure of exactly what to say to help her calm down, he thought he'd try just being simple and honest.

"It feels amazing Mine, thank you".

The moment the words left his mouth he could feel Mine start to relax. Her breathing became steadier and the hair twizzling became more gentle and rhythmic. Gripping his upper arm gently she spoke in a voice that, although he wasn't looking at her, he could hear the smile on her face.

"Good. Hearing that…makes me happy".

Again, Mine reverted back into silence as she continued to play with his hair and rub his arm.

Between the warmth of her lap, the gentleness of her touch and the humming vibrations he could feel being caused by the fireworks' explosions, Tatsumi began to drift off toward a peaceful repose. Just as his conciseness was about to cross the threshold to darkness, Mine cleared her throat sharply, startling him back into awareness.

"So you were wondering what was wrong with me earlier right"?

Remembering that had been the reason for calling him over here, Tatsumi turned his head up to face her, giving his undivided attention. Mine looked down at him and then blushed slightly and covered her mouth and nose with one hand while turning his head back toward the balcony with the other.

"Don't stare up at me like that, if feels like you're looking right up my nose".

"Oh okay, sorry". Tatsumi smiled and shifted his body to accommodate his heads new position.

"So…I'm not really sure how to explain this or even where to start so if I seem to ramble, bear with me, okay"?

Tatsumi nodded his head in acknowledgment and waited.

Mine didn't say anything right away. The two of them just sat there in silence watching the fireworks through the balcony door. Eventually though, Tatsumi heard Mine take a deep breath and let it out slowly.

When she spoke her voice sounded reflective.

"You know…life can be a funny thing. You can dedicate your whole life to one thought or purpose. You can peruse that purpose to the exclusion of everything else. You can make it the very pillar that supports your entire existence".

Mine paused and seemed to shift uncomfortably. Reflexively Tatsumi turned toward her but was met immediately with a hand pushing his head back toward the balcony.

"Don't look up"!

"Sorry, forgot".

Mine chuckled and began playing with his hair again.

"Yet, no matter how hard or how much time you invest on this one thought, no matter how all-encompassing or all-important it is in your life, apparently it can suddenly…even effortlessly and out of nowhere just…vanish".

Mine stopped again and surprisingly, Tatsumi could actually feel her confusion.

"For many years I have had such a purpose and pursued it completely. I knew what I wanted, when I wanted it, and how I was going to get it…Absolutely nothing was going to stop me or stand in my way. Not even the death of my…my best friend, Sheele…"

Mine's whole body tensed up and the confusion Tatsumi had been sensing shifted to sadness. Taking hold of the hand that was playing with his hair, Tatsumi squeezed it consolingly.

The loss of Sheele had been painful for everyone in Night Raid. Her innocent ditziness and open heart were a welcome breath of fresh air from the stress of their professional lives. Even now, Tatsumi could still clearly envision Akame's emotional breakdown over her death.

Yet despite how painful it had been on everyone else, no one had suffered as much as Mine had. The two of them had been close to inseparable, not only working as partners in the field but spending their time off together as well. Naturally, Mine had masked her pain and grieved in solitude, but it was no secret how hard it had been on her.

Tatsumi tightened his grip on Mine's hand as the emotional memory of her clinging to Extase while weeping flashed through his mind.

Mine laughed softly and placed her other hand over his.

"I'm fine Tatsumi; I've dealt with it, no need for you to worry…but thanks".

Tatsumi could feel himself blush mildly as he realized that his eyes were stinging a little from tears that had started to form. Feeling a touch embarrassed he simply nodded in reply rather that speak. Mine dislodged her hand from his and begun playing with his hair again. Sighing sadly, she continued to speak. Surprisingly, she continued to talk about Sheele.

"I actually still have Sheele's glasses. It may sound silly, but I consider them my most prized possession".

Even though she had just expressed she was okay, Tatsumi could hear her voice starting to get emotional.

"I loved her dearly. In fact, on my vanity back at base, I have this… large bowl like seashell. It's a memento from my mother, the only thing I have from her. I keep Sheele's glasses in it so I can look at them every time I sit there. It's like my own little shrine; I use it to honor her memory every day".

Mine voice trailed off and she remained quiet for a bit. Tatsumi could feel her body shaking slightly and hear her breathing start to hitch in her throat. Although he didn't look, it was obvious that she was crying.

Tatsumi considered trying to comfort her but it was also evident that she was attempting to hide her tears. So instead, (even though it was difficult) he quietly watched the fireworks and pretended he didn't notice what was going on. It wasn't long before Mine took a shuddering breath and laughed weakly.

"Ugh…Talk about getting sidetracked, sorry about that". Her voice was coarse and it sounded like her nose was now stuffy.

"Anyways, like I was saying, I had a purpose and I wasn't going to let anything get in the way of that. And then, one day out of nowhere, this… stupid country boy came into my life and changed everything".

Tatsumi's eyes widened as he realized the meaning of what she had just said. There was only one person he knew of who she referred to as 'hick' or 'country boy'.

"Mine…"

Unconsciously, he started to turn toward her again. Immediately, both of her hands were on his cheek, keeping him from moving his head.

"Don't move I'm not done yet! I need to tell you this, so please, just sit still and listen". Mine's tone was firm but kind.

Re-nestling down into her lap, Tatsumi waited for her to continue.

"Of course the change wasn't immediate, it, like my feelings for you, developed slowly over time".

Mine then laughed and continued sarcastically.

"This may surprise you, but at first I really did think of you as an annoying, useless hick".

Tatsumi flinched at her brutal honesty and replied dryly.

"Nope…no surprise there".

Mine giggled and patted his cheek.

"But then…I realized one day that I had started to think of you as more than just some dumb country boy. I had begun to see you, not as a useless hick, but…as a man".

Mine cleared her throat uncomfortably, when she spoke again her tone sounded almost apologetic.

"I was shocked. You see, up until then, I'd never really had any interest in boys or having a boyfriend. I saw relationships as an unnecessary hindrance that kept people from reaching their goals and potential. Of course, when I became aware of my changing opinion of you, it made me…resentful. I was angry at you for making me feel that way so…I took it out on you every chance I had."

Mine laughed kind of awkwardly and then slapped him playfully on the head.

"Naturally I tried to deny and suppress my growing feelings for you, but despite my best efforts they just kept getting stronger and stronger.

She laughed again and when she continued she sounded kind of embarrassed.

"Before long I started doing stupid, pathetic things like… looking forward to missions with you because, as my guard, I knew we'd have some alone time, or making a point of sitting next to you during meals".

Mine started slicking his hair back slowly, when she spoke again, it was almost as if she were talking to herself.

"I really did do everything I could to keep my feelings for you in check. I mean seriously…romance!?…In our line of work!? Impossible! Impractical! Idiotic! The list of words to describe the possibility goes on and on. But then…you uh…saved me at Kyoroch and…"

Mine laughed softly out her nose and then sighed in a manner that resonated with defeat.

"Well…that was it. My feelings for you refused to be denied any longer. I decided that if an opportunity presented itself, in spite of my better judgment, I was going take advantage of it and tell you how I felt. When I heard about this festival, which happened to be on a job that was just the two of us, I knew I wasn't going to get a better opportunity. So I let down my guard and just…allowed things to happen, just to see where they would go, and well, here we are".

Mine went silent again. She stopped playing with his hair or rubbing his arm. A seriousness came over her that was almost palatable.

"Tatsumi…I want you to know I am _really_ happy with the way today has gone. Getting to spend this time with you, just the two of us…holding hands, with our arms around each other, k-kissing…I mentioned it earlier, but I wanted to say it again. This may be the happiest…wait, no…"

Grabbing ahold of his cheeks, she turned his head up while leaning over, placing her face close enough to his that he could feel the warmth her breath on his skin. Falling down from behind her ears and shoulders, her hair created a makeshift cage around their heads. Other than the faint light from the lamp (or the occasional burst of the fireworks) filtering through the woven walls of her hair, they seemed completely isolated from the world around them.

"Tatsumi, this _is_ the happiest I have ever been. Earlier tonight, when you asked me what was wrong, the answer to that was…nothing. There wasn't really anything 'wrong'. I was just thinking about how happy I was… and how confused that makes feel. Tatsumi, I've never felt like this before and I'm not sure how to handle it. These feelings, they…"

Mine closed her eyes and swallowed hard. When she reopened them the strange intensity was gone, replaced with what could only be referred to as vulnerability. Bending down more, she kissed him softly on the cheek, then, in an almost broken sounding whisper continued.

"…They scare me".

Tatsumi looked up at her in disbelief. To hear her admit that she was afraid of something, especially something pertaining to him was pretty astonishing.

Pulling away slowly, Mine placed her hand on his cheek and frowned.

"Earlier, when I stopped you from telling me you…when I stopped you from speaking, I could see the pain in your eyes, and it… _hurt_ , I couldn't stand seeing it! Tatsumi, I didn't stop you because I was rejecting your feelings for me, I stopped you because…well…"

Mine's voice trailed off as she put a fist to her head and squeezed her eyes shut. It appeared she was thinking really hard. Sighing loudly, she then looked down at him and smiled fondly.

"If you want, when this war is over, we can spend every moment of every day telling each other how _we_ feel. But for now, I'm just not ready to say it or… hear it said out loud".

Mine then poked him softly on the chest and her eyes took on a mischievous glint.

"So damn it Tatsumi…don't you DARE think…not for _one second_ that my feelings for you are not every bit as strong as your feelings for me"!

Finished chiding him, Mines appearance softened again and she looked at him pleadingly.

"Okay"?

Tatsumi was feeling overjoyed, she hadn't specifically said she loved him, but she didn't need too. What she _had_ said was plenty good enough for now. Smiling up at her he nodded emphatically.

"Okay".

Mine's whole body seemed to relax and she breathed a sigh of obvious relief. Looking in the direction of the floor in front of her, Mine seemed for a moment like she had more to say, but she suddenly paled and her eyes went wide. Standing up abruptly, she dumped him unceremoniously on the floor.

"Where did you get this"!? Mine's voice sounded frantic.

Tatsumi looked up at her from the floor in bewilderment. Just moments ago she had been calm, soft and timid. Looking at her now, you never would have known that. Her face was bright red and her eyes were wild. Her overall appearance could only really be described as panicked. Confused, Tatsumi did a visual search to ascertain what had caused the sudden transformation.

Focusing in on a hand she was holding aloft, Tatsumi felt his own face heat up as waves of discomfort began washing over him. Dangling from her grip was a long red ribbon with strange gold lettering on it. Now feeling every bit as uncomfortable as Mine looked, he glanced in the direction of his clothes. They were still lying in a disorganized pile, half on half off of the bottom shelf of the nightstand. Apparently in his haste to kick the clothes back onto the shelf he had failed to notice that the ribbon had fallen out of his pocket. Feeling embarrassed, he looked toward the floor and cringed.

"Well, are you going to answer me? Where and when did you get this?"! Mine still sounded frantic.

Looking up first at the ribbon and then at Mine's shaken looking face, he began to relate to her the circumstances surrounding his acquisition of the ribbon. As he explained, Mine noticeably calmed down. When he was done she sighed in relief and smiled at him.

"So you think this is just a hair ribbon huh"?

Tatsumi had the annoying feeling he was being poked fun at.

"Well it's a good thing you didn't pay for it; you probably would have been ripped off. This 'ancient and forgotten tribal lettering' is nothing more than standard Western Tribal". Mine began to laugh heartily.

Tatsumi stood up and glared irritably at the now jovial woman in front of him.

"Well fine then Miss Know-it-all. If it's not a hair ribbon, care to explain what it is"?

Mine instantly stopped laughing at his request. Looking at the ribbon in her hand, she blushed again and quietly mumbled something under her breath. Leaning forward Tatsumi put a hand to his ear and glared harder.

"Eh? What was that"!?

Mine's blush deepened, but she returned his scowl. Gripping the ribbon tightly in her hand, she cried out in a loud and defiant voice.

"I said…it's a promise ribbon! A western tribesman promise ribbon"!


End file.
